So please let's continue this discussion in a reasonable manner.
We have agreed upon how official windows installer should behave.
Joost's installer became official because it complies to that
agreement. Now, suppose that Joost no longer supports his installer
and we need the new one, I would expect Uwe's installer to be modified
to behave the same. If things like Jabref are to be added, they have
to be agreed among developers.
My point is clear: if this installer is going to stay in the trunk, it
has to move in the direction of becoming the official one. To do that,
Uwe should list the features of this installer and is willing to
add/remove features based on peer opinions. He should stop adding
features like Jabref without asking around first.
Allow me to comment on the differences between two installers from the
wiki. As far as I can tell, these are not the whole picture but let us
start from here.
* A more comfortable method to view/update PDF-files.
Does this assume the use of acrobat reader? Does it work with all
versions of acrobat reader? What will happen if no acrobat reader is
installed and PDF is associated with something else? I am in general
oppose the idea of such a wrapper because of the maintenance burden we
have to carry. Even if this wrapper answers all my concerns
positively, what if acrobat 11 is released and breaks view/pdf
totally?
* The shortcut "C-M-n" creates a new displayed formula that is already
numbered. The next version will also have a menu entry for this often
requested feature.
The factory default should be the same on all platforms. If this
shortcut is useful, we should add it to all platforms.
* LyX comes with this slightly modified toolbar.
The same argument as above.
* The installer has bundled the latest version of the German LyX math
manual LyXMathebefehle. It can be found in LyX's install folder
~\Resources\doc\de_LyXMathebefehle.lyx
The same argument as above.
* The installer checks for programs to view/edit LaTeX-files. If you
need to have a look at the LaTeX-code LyX creates, for example to find
LaTeX-errors, all you have to do is to write the name of your editor
into the fields for the file format "LaTeX" in LyX's preferences. After
a restart of LyX you'll have a new entry for LaTeX in LyX's view menu.
Isn't this standard?
* The installer sets InstantPreview-graphics a bit larger as this was
often requested by users.
So only windows users have bad eyesight?
* Automatic installation of missing LaTeX-packages when you have an open
internet connection. All packages needed by LyX are automatically
downloaded when LyX is started/configured the first time. If you later
use LaTeX-packages in your documents that aren't already installed
they will automatically be installed when you view/export your
LyX-file.
You mean you turn on miktex/update-on-the-fly for users? This is
another example of maintenance burden of third-party applications.
What if a new version of miktex is released?
* If you have no access to the Internet, the complete installer version
delivers the needed LaTeX-packages (but not their documentation). To
install them, copy the folder latex from LyX's install folder to
MiKTeX's install sub folder ~\tex and then refresh MiKTeX's file name
database using the program MiKTeX Options.
Again, what if user has a newer or older version of miktex? What if a
user has some special reason not to do so for his existing miktex
installation? Also, there is no way to guarantee that your bundled
file will work as expected.
* Imagemagick, the program used by LyX for all sorts of images, and
Ghostscript which is needed to handle PDF and Postscript are bundled
together with the installer. This assures that you are using the
latest stable version especially of ImageMagick which is released very
often (and often with bugs).
Any difference from the official installer? The official installer
suggests a download and download for the user, which is IMHO a better
way than bundling a certain version of it.
* The installer automatically downloads and installs Aspell dictionaries
for English, for the language set in your Windows, and for LyX's menu
language that you have chosen in the installer. You are prompted to
install more dictionaries if you like.
(4 different internet locations are used to assure that the dictionaries
are at any time available.)
Any difference from the official one? I guess the 4 different
locations stuff can be easily added to the official installer.
* The installer asks you to update MiKTeX also if you just have it
installed together with LyX. This assures that you have the latest
version and can benefit from the latest LaTeX-package updates and
bug fixes. The reason that updating MiKTeX should also be done for new
installations is that the MiKTeX-bundle, that is included in
the installer, is only provided one time per one or two months while
bug fixes/updates of LaTeX-packages are normally released every week.
This questions the value of bundled miktex packages.
* The installer includes a .layout file for the LaTeX-package
powerdot
* The installer also installs the LaTeX-class files that comes
with LyX to MiKTeX.
This are the classes "cv", "broadway", "hollywood", and "revtex"
and the style
files "lyxskak" and "lyxchess". When LyX is uninstalled these
files will also be
uninstalled.
Again, make them available for all platforms or none.
* The uninstaller allows you to uninstall MiKTeX and Aspell together
with LyX.
The same with the official one, right?
* The installer supports Instant Preview. Look here to learn more about it.
The same with the official one.
As I have said, this installer makes lyx behave differently from other
platforms and cares too much about third-party applications. If other
developers agree with me, Uwe has to remove all such things before it
can be considered as the official installer of 1.5.x.
Cheers,
Bo
