A VM is heavy, and overkill as long as the alternative can provide the same degree of 'just works', which I think is the goal.
The VM also offers the benefit of a richer introduction: any number of sample files, videos etc. all as links on the desktop. Right, it wouldn't offer access to host machine files, only preloaded for tutorial purposes. That arguably could be sufficient to make the sale. The trick would be to make the preload really compelling. On Wed, Oct 14, 2015 at 1:01 PM, 'Terry Brown' via leo-editor <leo-editor@googlegroups.com> wrote: > On Wed, 14 Oct 2015 12:09:23 -0500 > Kent Tenney <kten...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> VirtualBox is an app you download and install, >> then you download the VM. >> >> VirtualBox runs the VM, offering a desktop which acts like a real >> computer, so it's still 2 step, but easy to do and a fairly common way >> to offer configuration-free evaluation of software. > > Hmm, seems like cracking a nut with a sledgehammer for Leo though. I > can see that approach for software that maybe acts as a web-server > using a database etc., but it's a lot of download for just trying Leo. > OTOH with a fast connection it might be ok for some people. You should > use a free OS in the VM though, so while introducing people to Ubuntu > that way might be a good trick, it may also be confusing. > > But the biggest issue I see is that setting up access from the VM to > the users local files could be tricky, and I assume people would want > that. > >> Docker is entirely free, not sure what the subscription refers to. It >> also requires installing executables to run the docker files. A >> multi step process and as I understand it, meant to provide services >> rather than a gui environment. > > Right, I don't think Docker is applicable. > > Can't remember whether "everything in one folder" was working for > Windows, by everything I mean Python and PyQt as well, thought I had > that working some time ago. Not sure which Windows to target now, that > was probably Win 7. > > Cheers -Terry > >> On Wed, Oct 14, 2015 at 11:06 AM, Edward K. Ream >> <edream...@gmail.com> wrote: >> > I had an enjoyable conversation with Kent Tenney yesterday on this >> > topic. Here are some notes, with some additional thoughts. >> > >> > tl;dr: Only one-step solutions would seem to be a real improvements. >> > Possibilities include pip install and executable files that create >> > VM's. >> > >> > I welcome any comments. Installation is really not my field. >> > >> > ===== Background >> > >> > Leo is already fairly easy to install, which makes significant >> > improvements more challenging. Indeed, the short form of the >> > installation guide is: >> > >> > A. Install Python. >> > B. Install the version of Qt that matches the Python version. >> > C. Install Leo using Leo's single-click installer, or using git >> > clone. >> > >> > ===== One-step solutions >> > >> > To do significantly better than this would require a one-step >> > solution. >> > >> > There are at least two possibilities: >> > >> > Option 1: a do-everything executable file. >> > >> > In essence, this file would be a VM (Virtual Machine) containing: >> > >> > A. Some version of Python. >> > B. The matching version of Qt. >> > C. All files installed by Leo's installer, including documentation, >> > example files, and the entire installed contents of the >> > leo-editor/leo folder. >> > >> > Yes, this will be a large .exe file, but that can't be helped. >> > >> > PortableApps is a Windows only solution. >> > >> > Option 2: pip install leo-editor full >> > >> > The effect would presumably be similar to option 1. This would be >> > more convenient for the user (assuming it can be done) provided the >> > user already has pip installed. Otherwise this is a two-step >> > solution. On Windows, installing pip is non-trivial. >> > >> > ===== Other Possibilities >> > >> > Kent mentioned the possibility of creating docker containers. But >> > this would require installing docker, unless I am missing >> > something. Also, the docker subscription service costs >> > $150/month. It may be possible to using a free hosting service, >> > but I'm not sure about that. >> > >> > Similarly, VirtualBox can create, (if I understand correctly), self >> > contained VM's. But like docker, VirtualBox must be installed by >> > the user, making this a two-step solution. >> > >> > On the Mac, Leo could be delivered as a Homebrew formula (assuming >> > we ever figure out how ;-), but again, Homebrew itself must be >> > installed first. >> > >> > ===== Summary >> > >> > 1. The only true one-step solution is like to be an executable file >> > containing a VM containing everything needed to run Leo. >> > PortableApps is such, but is Windows only. >> > >> > 2. pip install (Linux and maybe Windows) and Homebrew formulas are >> > almost one-step solutions in the sense that both pip and Homebrew >> > are commonly installed. >> > >> > Edward >> > >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups "leo-editor" group. >> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, >> > send an email to leo-editor+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> > To post to this group, send email to leo-editor@googlegroups.com. >> > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/leo-editor. >> > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "leo-editor" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to leo-editor+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to leo-editor@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/leo-editor. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "leo-editor" group. 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