What next?

[Mike Hearn]

On Wed, 01 Jun 2005 23:44:08 +0200, Kyrre Ness Sjobak wrote:
> BTW., how does osx do installs (just bringing up the meta-file installer
> thingy again. Feel free not to answer)?

http://arstechnica.com/reviews/apps/delicious-library.ars/2
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Porting/Conceptual/PortingUnix/compiling/chapter_4_section_8.html

That shows you pretty much how it works. In short:

 - Packages are contained entirely within a relocatable directory,
   which has a magic marker so the finder treats it as a file

 - Packages have no dependencies outside the operating system. They
   can embed libraries within themselves easily.

 - Package installation is a matter of clicking a URL to a "DMG" file
   which is a self mounting disk image, and dragging the appfolder
   inside to the /Applications directory.

 - There is no auto update system. Apple also provide a traditional 
   Installer service, which some things use.

 - Nearly every app is packaged in this way. Mac users never have to
   compile from source or wait while an app [update] is packaged.

Look at the screenshots in the Ars Technica article to get a feel for it.
Most users consider it easier than what Linux has, in my experience
(judging by how often I'm asked for it!)

thanks -mike