[Qt-interest] [OT] Politically Correct way to release an Open Source Qt Project

[Oliver.Knoll at comit.ch]

Atlant Schmidt wrote on Monday, August 02, 2010 2:03 PM:

> ...
>   Don't Macs usually keep *EVERYTHING RELATING TO THE APP*
>   confined to a single folder*? 

No, they don't: they create config files and cached data just like every other application on other platforms, and these files are then stored under e.g ~/ApplicationData/..., that is per user (in their home directory). Andd I have seen other crazy apps which create links under / (yes, the root directory, and yes, that's bad) and who knows where else...

Having a "common API across platforms", on an OS level (so the application itself would simply come with a "recipe" on what it requires for "installation, update and delete" and would not be required to come with its own "installer executable"), that would be great IMHO. And the "installer" - implemented on the OS level - would provide a common GUI, from a simple "Install Now" button to (somewhat) complex "optional installs". It would also tell the user that some dependencies are missing and - if those dependencies are "well-known" - offer the user to automatically install those first.

That would and should also solve the problem of updating the software (e.g. Windows Update only cares about MS software such as Word, Explorer and off course OS components): the application would provide an "update server URL" and upon the next "system update" all installed software would be updated as well (with proper signature checking etc.) - basically what todays "package managers" on Linux do.

So basically a mixture of "MSI Installer on Windows" and package managers from Linux, simply better, smaller, faster ;)

Also see my other post 5 minutes ago.

Cheers, Oliver
-- 
Oliver Knoll
Dipl. Informatik-Ing. ETH
COMIT AG - ++41 79 520 95 22