ZeroInstall; dare ya !

[cbbrowne-HInyCGIudOg at public.gmane.org]

William Park wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 15, 2003 at 06:34:04PM -0500, David J Patrick wrote:
> > (from the website) Key Points;
> > 
> >    * Software is only ever /cached/, not /installed/. Anyone can run
> >      any software, and nothing is run as root.
> >    * Running a program is done in the same way whether it's cached or not.
> >    * Running cached software is as fast as running
> >      traditionally-installed software.
> >    * Zero Install is both simpler and more secure than traditional
> >      packaging systems.
> >    * Software can be removed from the cache to free space without
> >      affecting the behaviour of the system (it will be recached on demand).
> > 
> > How hard could it be ?
> >    ok, it requires a small Linux kernel module to provide the 
> > /uri/0install directory,
> > but that's probably a piece o cake, for a seasoned, Rox lovin', kernel 
> > compilin' cowboy, such as yerself.
> >    right ?
> > 
> > If this thing works, as advertized, it'll change the world.. unless 
> > nobody "gets it".
> >    check it out, try it out. spread the word.       
> > 
> > (when I learn to cook up a kernel, I'm gonn go 2.6, cause Linus said to,
> > and get me some 0install,
> 
> But, how would you run Vim or LaTeX?  You would have to dial out every
> time you turn your computer on, no?  Is that like doing network install,
> every time?

I suspect you missed the term "cached."

If aggressive disk-based cacheing is taking place, Vim and LaTeX are
already cached on your system after you run them the first time, and
little if any work is needed to pull them in again.

When you reboot, they are still in the cache.

The really slick part of this is that if you run this way for a few
weeks, you could monitor what remains cached, and take the wild guess
that that set of software is probably what would be of value to install
permanently on any other system.  And that things that aren't in the
cache aren't used often enough to be worth installing.
--
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