Also missing the thread, I did want to chime in on a few things before it is left.
First, Mike's pretty much nailed it on all points, though I think the use of installers needs to be qualified a little (below). As for where it is said not to install to /usr/bin, I don't know where in the docs, but Apple engineers every year at WWDC go up and say this. It's probably in the WWDC session videos on installers. Python has shipped with OS X for quite awhile as a standard component so Apple itself puts it in /usr/bin. I think DarwinPorts installs to /opt/local and Fink to /sw. This follows with Mike's arguments with separation and isolation. These will not be destroyed by Apple. Also, anybody using these will most likely use the tools own packaging system rather than install CMake through the installer, so these tools will ensure CMake is installed to their own appropriate locations. Finally, 'installers' are a controversial issue on Mac. Generally speaking, the old-school Mac (classic) people, and the elite OS X developers/users believe strongly that apps should be drag-and-droppable and not require installers. Applications should not have to live in any particular location on the filesystem and should just work no matter where they are. The security people and the anti-Windows people have also joined this bandwagon. Apple itself has been fuzzy and has waffled on the guidelines. For awhile, they were pushing drag-and-drop, but they would be hypocritical and use installers. However, the Mac elite will point out that Apple is the worst violator of their own Human/User Interface Guidelines so the funny thing is that Apple is not necessarily the authoritative voice on these issues. The Mac community is a little funny and many things seem to be dictated by its elite users and developers. Anyway, as far as CMake is concerned, because it deals with command line tools and a lot of stuff being installed in separate places, by Apple guidelines, an installer is an acceptable method of distributing CMake (presuming you don't install it to system areas). However, if you do distribute a GUI again, it would also be reasonable to consider a drag-and-droppable system where all CMake components are self-contained within the bundle. This would make the elite and security people happier. Mike has identified TextMate already. I think Doxygen and MacVim are also a little bit like this in that they avoid the installer and provide a self-contained drag-and-droppable bundle, though they not nearly as advanced as TextMate. (Both presume you know enough to add symlinks or shell-scripts or change your path to access tools in their bundles.) Thanks, Eric _______________________________________________ CMake mailing list CMake@cmake.org http://www.cmake.org/mailman/listinfo/cmake
