[Radiance-dev] Re: Feature request: README.linux

[Axel Jacobs]

Hi Greg,

> I agree we should have better linkage to Francesco's Wiki -- do you
> think it should go in the "Resources" list on radiance-online.org?
> Where would you look for it?  I don't think it belongs on the
> download page, personally.

As a Fedora, Debian and Ubuntu user, I am somewhat spoiled when it
comes to installing packages. More often then not, they are available
for download with one simple command. To be honest, I don't even know
if MacOS has a similar mechanism. Windows does not.

When I do have to get my fingers dirty with tar balls and compilation,
all instructions, including dependencies, make commands, compile
options, switches etc. are usually documented in one or more files
within the tar ball. This usually means:
- README: This software does so and so, is written and maintained by
this guy, published under such-n-such license. Please read LICENSE for
details about the license. For installation instructions please refer
to INSTALL.
- INSTALL: To build this, you need package1, package2 and package3.
This is how you build the thing: run ./configure, make, make install.
Or run ./makeall install etc. This is also where compile switches
would be listed, unless they are available through, e.g. ./configure
--help
- Then there might a PACKAGERS, for what Bernd is doing with the
Debian packages, possibly a MANIFEST, and potentially a few other text
files of special interest to certain groups of users, such as CVS
instructions for hackers. BUGS, ISSUES, TODO, But this already pushing
it. README and INSTALL are the two biggies.

It is very rare indeed to find a README which says: "For installation
instruction, please go to http://mywebsite.com/mysoft/install.html".
If the installation or configuration is very different between
platforms, there might be a README.linux, README.macos, README.win32
etc.

So I'm not sure that 'Resouces' is a good place for the install
instructions to live in. Should they not be within the tar ball, or at
least on the same download page?

Regards

Axel