> It seems to me that not everyone needs to build Maxima on
> Windows. Mostly just one person needs to do that.
I agree with the above and with the principle that
tools used should be open source and/or free as much
as feasible.
> To restrict that one person to using tools that are free seems
> counterproductive. Especially since (as is the case at my
> institution) the
> tools might be free to that person.
Perhaps even those who need to build Maxima only need
to build it but not the installer.
Or, if they need an installer, then they will likely
have those tools. Those that truly need the installer
MSI package are those with large numbers of computers
and and Active Directory domain struture.
Everyone on Windows can "use" the installer (MSI are
clickable by any Windows machine running at least IE
5.0 OR if the OS is Win2000+.)
But the MSI makes the package easily deployably from
AD Group Policy.
> IF there are two equally convenient tools, and one is free, I
> think the
> choice should be the free one. BUT I would much rather that
> someone spend
> time improving Maxima's computational facilities than spend
> hours or days
> trying to save $100, or even $100 X (the number of people
> re-building Maxima on windows).
True too.
My responses were all in the context of "We're going
to work on the installer/packager so what should we
do to it?"
Maxima is GREAT software and everyone who contributes
to it has my sincere appreciatation and thanks.
Herb Martin, MCSE, MVP
HerbM at LearnQuick.Com http://LearnQuick.Com
512 388 7339 -or- 1 800 MCSE PRO
Accelerated MCSE in a Week Seminars
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Fateman [mailto:fateman at cs.berkeley.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 10:06 AM
> To: 'Vadim V. Zhytnikov'; 'Herb Martin'
> Cc: maxima at math.utexas.edu
> Subject: RE: [Maxima] Windows installer structure
>
>
>
> RJF
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: maxima-admin at math.utexas.edu
> [mailto:maxima-admin at math.utexas.edu] On
> Behalf Of Vadim V. Zhytnikov
> Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 7:39 AM
> To: Herb Martin
> Cc: maxima at math.utexas.edu
> Subject: Re: [Maxima] Windows installer structure
>
> Herb Martin writes:
> >> I worry that Windows Installer packaging is not planned
> >> at least now. Do you know any free tool for making .msi
> >> packages?
> >>
> >
> > The WinInstallLE (light edition) comes with Server for
> > certain (I am unsure but believe it may also be on the
> > XP CDROM).
> >
> > The Visual Studio (of course is not free) has an installer
> > packager.
> >
> > It is my impression that there are others which have
> > working free versions but I have no further information.
> >
> > The key point about MSI is that it allows for mass installs
> > by Active Directory Administrators. (It's pretty good
> > technology too, but not -- to my knowledge Open Source.)
> >
>
> Let me explain may position. Maxima build on Windows
> should no rely on any additional software besides
> Windows itself and packages freely available on the net.
> Anyone having Windows and Internet access should be
> able to build maxima without trouble. At present Windows
> Maxima build requires:
>
> 1. msys, mingw and some msys packages as compiler/linker
> 2. starkit as tcl/tk wrapper
> 3. gnuplot
>
> Thus Visual Studio based solution will not do as the only solution.
> We can't require extra software which costs hundreds of dollars
> just to build Maxima on Windows. WiX is probably OK.
> It is free, it doesn't require any additional software.
> Votive (WiX's user-fiendly project designer)
> is Visual Studio plug-in but the project it
> produces can be processed by freely available WiX.
> But honestly now I'm not ready to switch to WiX
> completely. For forthcoming Maxima 5.9.4 I plan to provide
> traditional Inno Setup installers. If anyone volunteer
> to make any kind of .msi packagin as alternative
> this will be great.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Vadim
>
>
> --
> Vadim V. Zhytnikov
>
> <vvzhy at mail.ru>
> <vvzhy at netorn.ru>
>
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