Re: BootX and the Stuffit Fiasco.
> > The problem is only with incorporating BootX into the Debian install
> > files, and here we can indeed convert all files to MacBinary format once
> > and have mkhybrid properly install them on the HFS part of the install CD
> > if necessary. But I doubt that was the original question.
>
> mkhybrid is already used to build cd1 because its necessary to make it
> newworld bootable, adding a couple switchs would enable it to look for
> .bin files and extract them in the image as regular mac files. (from
> a quick glance at the mkhybrid man page) but since bootx is not
The appropriate switches should already be there, buried somewhere in the
m68k stuff. Someone sent me a description on how to do this before the
slink release, and I forwarded that to the CD people. I have no access to
my mail from that time anymore or I'd dig it out...
> besides that Debian GNU/Linux is well a GNU/Linux distribution NOT a
> MacOS application. if you want to treat Debian like a MacOS toy then
> you should not be using it. (because thats not what it is)
Far be it from me to regard Debian as MacOS toy. It's the other way round
:-)
> > The politically correct answer: we cannot make boot-floppies depend on a
> > non-free tool like StuffIt for its operation. And the chance of ever
>
> more then politically correct, its the entire philosophy of debian.
> Debian is and is made with only Free Software.
Forgive me for being sarcastic here, that's exactly what I meant to say.
Please keep in mind that there's a bunch of architectures where Debian is
the only available Linux distribution. Some people chose Debian because
it's the only Linux for them. Some people chose Debian because it's
simply the best distribution available. Neither group care too much about
the philosophy to only use free software. The developers put a strong
focus on that, that's why we have a policy to not allow non-free tools in
boot-floppies or any other integral part of the distribution. The 'free at
all cost' faction hasn't been that large in the early days of Debian and
the political (or philosophical) discussion about whether non-free is a
part of Debian or not have only arisen in recent years. That's why I
thought the PC pun was natural.
> > Sorry, but that's what we get for supporting Linux on closed hardware, for
> > which most commercial software is written by companies with a mathing
> > mindset. Petition Alladin to open their file format.
>
> stuffit has nothing to do with Apple hardware, it has to do with
> MacOS. the only reason MacOS even enters this equation is that we
> don't yet have a reliable enough bootloader for oldworld macs. (or
I'd venture a guess Apple's mindset about openness on hardware and OS
software issues has fostered an equal mindset in other software companies
working for the MacOS market. I should have been more explicit about that.
> if you have a newworld mac you can install debian on the machine
> without a trace of macos in sight. you can do it on an oldworld too
> if your determined enough (getting OF to boot quik properly).
I know. But most of the PPC users are perhaps already Apple and MacOS
users, and approach a Debian installation with the expectation that Debian
installs side to side with MacOS using very MacOS like tools with MacOS
GUI. Write a MacOS based yaboot or quik installer and they'll happily
forget BootX ever existed. (No, I'm not seriously insinuating you should
do that. Not even that someone should do that. Just to demonstrate what I
think the user perspective is. And I still think Debian is for just those
users - with things like apt for hassle free upgrades and all.)
But that's getting quickly off-topic. We won't get a free StuffIt for
Linux, not even a non-free one. We won't use the format. If you want
BinHex encoded BootX components for the install CD I'll be happy to
provide them (if BenH doesn't beat me to it). I still keep a mosty unused
copy of BootX 1.2.2 around.
Michael
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