[e-lang] Installer WIP branch created

[Kevin Reid]

svn://svn.synchrona.org/erights/e/branches/installer-including-unix

As the commit message says:


r507 | kpreid | 2008-08-30 07:32:50 -0400 (Sat, 30 Aug 2008) | 12 lines

Publishing my installer work-in-progress. As it is, this provides two  
features:

* Installer for unixoid platforms, built off a generic installer  
framework which *should* eliminate duplicated code with Windows.

* A powerbox-based installation, so that the user knows exactly where  
the installer can possibly put files.

However, firstly, the Windows installer doesn't work -- there is no  
provision for the powerbox to grant registry-mutating authorities.  
Secondly, Dean Tribble informs me that it is a good idea to, on  
Windows, generate ".msi" installer files instead of doing the system  
mutations oneself.

Therefore, the direction I would like to go is, instead, generating  
platform-specific packages whenever possible  
(.msi, .pkg, .rpm, .deb ...), as this will help with such things as  
installation and incorporation into existing distributions/packaging  
systems. This implies changing the installer from a "perform install"  
model to "write installation instructions".

This branch does not yet, but should when complete, delete older  
installers from the source tree.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also forgot to mention that the format in which the installer  
requests authorities, completely breaks the powerbox by letting code  
provided by the installer get large authorities -- though this is not  
practically a problem as the installer and powerbox are distributed  
together. I intend to fix this with an auditor, if this verson of the  
installer is developed any further.

-- 
Kevin Reid                            <http://homepage.mac.com/kpreid/>