Re: [rox-users] ROX-All 0.3

[Ken H. <ke...@ha...>]

Ken Hayber wrote:
> Thomas Leonard wrote:
> 
>> New ROX-All release:
>>
>>     http://rox.sourceforge.net/phpwiki/index.php/ROX-All
>>
>> Changes:
>>
>> - Added Pager and a Games directory with five games.
>>
>> - Included the latest packages for the injector.
>>
>>
>> Let me know if there are any problems, or any programs I forgot to
>> include (programs need an interface URL to be included).
>>
>>
>> The list of programs now available from this archive is:
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Thomas,
> 
> Running PPC here (ppc64 actually).  None of the binary (e.g. C/C++) 
> packages works.  OK, this means no one has submitted binaries and I 
> guess I [c|sh]ould help here.  But the problem is that there is no 
> message whatsoever that this is the problem.  For example when running 
> Pager it reports
> 'I cannot find an executable file for your host type (Linux-ppc).
> Trying to compile...' in the Message log, but as there is no source in 
> these packages, it fails with no further notification.
> 
> 1) Why not include the sources?  Sure, it makes the download bigger and 
> doesn't help those who don't have development tools installed, but...
> 
> 2) Is there some way that ROX (the Filer) itself can notify the user of 
> a failed execution attempt?
> 
> 3) ROX-Session has the binary file with no modifiers (e.g. -x86) so how 
> can we provide for multiple arch types in one package?
> 
> 
> Ken
> 

More thoughts on this (my opinions at least)...

The injector is downloading binaries for x86 when I'm on ppc.  Bad.
The interface file should contain separate packages for each arch/binary and source. *1
The injector UI should download the interface and see if binary is available for your arch.
If the arch has multiple options (e.g. x86, x86-64, src) offer a choice to the user.
Offer to save this as the default choice. ("don't bother me, just run the thing")
Offer to always download and build from source (no binaries) if available. ("I'm a power user dammit!")

*1 - Can this allow different persons to provide binaries for their arch and sign them separately? 
You'd have to separate the signature from the interface file, right?