Re: Emacs for Windows

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 14:34:11 -0400
> 
> >> I mean, distribution via zip files is so painful for the user who has to
> >> figure out on his own how to upgrade from one version to another, plus
> >> all the dependencies, etc...
> > If the package is done well, then all the dependencies are already
> > bundled.  And then all you need is unzip the file.  How hard can that
> > be?
> 
> How is that going to tell you when a bugfix release has been released?

You watch the site where you downloaded the previous one from.

> How is that going to choose where to unzip?

It doesn't.  _You_ decide.  Some see that as an advantage.

> How is that going to uninstall the old version?

No need, the new files will overwrite the old ones.

> And of course, you end up with umpteen copies of the dependencies, but
> I guess only anal-retentive nit pickers will care about the wasted disk
> and RAM space.

Exactly.  Besides, other packages, not yet updated, could still need
the old dependencies anyway.  Even the omniscient installers always
ask you whether to remove shared libraries they _think_ are no longer
needed (and I personally always say NO).

> >> How do people live with that?
> > I can tell you that no one ever asked me to provide the binary zips I
> > upload in any other form.  Which makes me think there is no problem.
> 
> In the absence of a package manager, there's of course no other form
> that could be requested, indeed.

The other form is some kind of installer.