I don't feel like there are many Mac users talking about Mac issues on this 
list right now, but I know we're numerous, at least based on downloading 
statistics through the project history. To be thorough, here's my impression on 
installing for the Mac.

On Oct 9, 2010, at 5:23 PM, Scott Furry wrote:
> From what we have heard on this topic so far:
> 
> - Mac users have commented that they do not have an issue with the current 
> installer available on the Mac platform.

I'd like to clarify my previous comments here. The current installer works very 
well, but an incremental updater would be an even better option, if it allowed 
for smaller and quicker downloads and a background update process. (I see many 
users who simply don't update their software or forget to check for new 
versions, and Firefox and Chrome seem to have addressed this problem 
effectively with their auto updaters.)
> -----------------------
> 
> This survey is to gauge the views of the LibreOffice community on the 
> install/update method of LibreOffice. Please voice your opinion so that these 
> considerations may be taken into account when the LibreOffice method of 
> install/update is studied by the developer team. Please *bottom-post* your 
> opinions.
> 
> How do you expect LibreOffice to be updated?

In an approach that is as platform-native as possible. The current Mac 
installer uses a disk image (.dmg) approach, which is exactly right for first 
installation.

> How do you Install/Update LibreOffice?

Currently, I download and install from the site. When upgrading, I simply 
overwrite the previous application bundle in OS X's Applications folder.

> What do you expect when Installing/Updating LibreOffice?

To me, state-of-the-art software updating on OS X is an automatic, background 
updating mechanism that only requires the user to restart the application (and 
approve an update), at which point updates will be applied.

> Other programs have separate updating programs (iTunes being an example), if 
> it was technically feasible, would having a separate install program for 
> LibreOffice (with updating features) be useful to you?

I find this concept very intriguing, and I think it could be the first step to 
a really cool app I've long wanted to see: if we band together with several 
other major FLOSS apps and build a unified installer/updater for Windows and 
Mac users, we could bring some of the advantages of Linux's package management 
systems to these platforms. Then, say, a user downloads Firefox or LibreOffice, 
and the updater application comes along with it. The package manager could help 
them update this application any time necessary, and it would also be able to 
suggest other apps they might like. Each FLOSS app could benefit from increased 
exposure, essentially "piggybacking" on the success of its siblings. I'd love 
to discuss this in greater depth, though it may be OT for this specific thread. 

> Would having a download and update site, as well as a Unix|Linux package 
> repository site, be of value to you?

Yes, though I'm not sure exactly what this would do.

-Ben

Benjamin Horst
[email protected]
646-464-2314 (Eastern)
www.solidoffice.com


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