Other projects do this as well. Many Linux distributions have entire CDs devoted to additional applications, so I'm certain there's a reason why this is done
Elledan wrote:
Other projects do this as well. Many Linux distributions have entire CDs devoted to additional applications, so I'm certain there's a reason why this is done
yeah, there is a reason. the reason is: installing a new (minor) application in linux is work. you have to find it, decide on it, get the correct version, configure, make, make install.
in windows this is not needed. just find the downloadable EXE, install it, ready.
and in addition, windows has got all system-tools installed already, and there is a definitive standard tool for a specific task (most even builtin). you do not have to decide whether you want it, you just get it (e.g. ftp.exe).
But we are not windows, we are ReactOS, we must let the user decide what program they want use.
The base sistem only must include a very basic set of apps like file browser, ftp.exe, notepad, calc and some more, but users must be able to decide what app use and what not.
A good way to do it is provide a base os cd, that contain only the OS and the package manager, and othe cd with apps, optional.
Package manager must be able to install apps from the oficial apps cd and from the inet.
Also at install routine we can add a step to download and install the basic apps form inet.
fine you're not windows and you're not linux. but simple fact of the matter is both windows and linux come with basic software applications.
basic text editor.
basic paint program.
basic media player.
basic email client.
basic browser software.
it would be really brilliant to download and install an OS you couldn't do anything with. if the first thing you have to do to even use your system is go to an FTP site, that's ridiculous.
so what if firefox is out of date when you install ROS (assuming it's bundled), windows2000's IE is out of date if you install that. hell it was out of date when it came out as there were already patches for it.
Unless the ReactOS becomes over 650 Mb i am fine with the size. There are linux distributions with 6 SIX!!! CDs.
Actually the 30 Mbs is quite low for a graphic OS.
And i WANT:
-Web browser.
-FTP client.
-All drivers needed (or all that could be legaly provided, specially netcard drivers).
-OpenOfice.
-Calc.
-Notepad.
(I think i dont forget anything).
If you officially bundle ReactOS with other applications, well for one you can never make everyone happy as the amounts of discussions on this topic prove.
...an analogy...
ReactOS is an atom.
A central very important atom without all the other atoms would fall apart.
And this ROS atom can come by itself and react with other atoms in the lab, and those people in the lab can send out new copies of the new molecule they created that revolves around ROS.
...end of analoy...
basic text editor.
basic paint program.
basic media player.
basic email client.
basic browser software.
What's the first thing I do when I install Windows? Replace the insecure browser and email client, get a better media player and text editor; don't even use paint. Out of the four apps you listed that I use, I've replaced them all with aftermarket/third-party products.
The more application creep you have, the more people are going to start whining about how long it takes to download on a dial-up connection.
I don't understand where the problem is... Why not symply create a CD that only install Reactos without the additional softwares, but also keep the installers for these programs on the same CD.
Once ReactOS is installed, the user can then browse the cd to install additional programs if he wishes.
We can also make another CD with ReactOS only, without the additional applications for faster download.
Nothing prevents us from doing so, and like that, everybody is happy.
why don't you just have a setup program and have it install the apps you want? but provide the basics for the people that want them. windows xp seems to do just fine with one cd. the "software creep" naysaying sounds rather reactionary to me.
notepad, paint, media player, thunderbird, and firefox clock in about 85 mb, RAR'ed, they're about 25. that's including my profiles and mailbox attachments.
Notepad.exe, 68k, Write.exe 6k, Mspaint.exe 335k, Defrag (though i don't know the .exe name of the GUI one) 25k, pad it 800k to be generous for any .dlls I may have overlooked. Take out the profile info and thunderbird and firefox compress to 11.3. So all those apps, take about 12 mb compress. Whoopty. I have a 128 mb flash drive that can hold that AND ReactOS as it stands now AND my pink floyd mp3 collection.
Last edited by Floyd on Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
Floyd wrote:why don't you just have a setup program and have it install the apps you want?
because then it becomes too big and you shut out people who have a phone line connection from obtaining it easily (and a lot of the time from getting it for free)
I like the idea of the 3 cds
1 Reactos with no programs, or preloaded with browser only
2 Reactos with programs
3 Just programs
a reactOS core, downloadable. GUI OS with basic apps, (ibrowser, ftp, notepad) made by the reactOS dev crew. (really quite small)
and quite a few reactOS distros, for example, I wish to use reactOS on recyled computers, I want the PCs to have the OS, an officesuite, web browser, mail client, a image program, plus any training apps that I think might help people. I would do this work myself and let people download it if my apps are what they are after. of course the beauty of this is that I could feed back any issues to the devs to impove the core of reactOS.
other people might make a games distro, etc .
this way I do the work I need to do, and the devs get on with theirs.
