Re: [tdf-discuss] Survey|Opinion - LibreOffice Install and Update

On 10/09/2010 02:23 PM, Scott Furry wrote:

> 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 linux via the standard distro package managers. Most distros OOo
broken down into various modules/packages, hence updating
doesn't/shouldn't require an entire redownload of the entire product.

In Windows via an update manager in a similar manner to the linux
distros; only update the portions of the program/package that require
updating. Having users redownload an entire program/package of this size
is counter productive and ends up discouraging repeat users...
particularly those with slow internet connections. Here's a good
example; disconnect your DSL/Cable/T1 et al, fire up that old POTS modem
and download LibO or OOo to your system. Install it, and then be
notified that version xyz has just been updated to xyk... fire up that
dialup modem, rinse, repeat.

Given that a large portion of the world (and certainly target users for
LibO) are unable to get fast internet connections (remote USA is a prime
example), consider the ease of distribution and updates. Anything that
can be done to ease the download burden for the user is welcome.

> How do you Install/Update LibreOffice?

For linux I simply (after finding where they are located) downloaded the
.deb file(s) and:

$ sudo /home/<user>/tempdir/LibreOffice32en-US/DEBS dpkg -i *.deb

the same way that I would with an OOo deb. Install went w/o issue and
was installed in parallel to my OOo packages: (Ubuntu (U)3.2.1, Standard
OOo 3.2.1, Standard OOo 3.3-dev etc).

For my test systems with Windows:

- Downloaded and installed the .exe on a WinXPPro system running in an
VMWare Player environment.

I was surprised, and very disappointed, to find that LibO exhibits the
exact same problem as installing go-oo or OxygenOffice on Windows: it
trashes the existing OOo on the user's system![1]  This is unacceptable;
LibreOffice should, on Windows, install (as the name implies) as a
separate, independent program and leave other programs intact. Windows
users should be "free" to use, install, and run in parallel OOo and LibO
if they wish.

LibO should *not* remove, touch, bother, any other program in the
process. This is the same situation Win users experienced with go-oo and
OxygenOffice; they both removed the users OOo install, and in LibO's
case does so without notifying the user up-front that this is happening.
The new/prospective LibO user is now left without their OOo install (yes
the profiles are left intact, but how many Win users know how to find
those). There is no import of the OOo profile(s) (there may be several),
just an empty OOo folder shell.

LibO, or OOo can be installed in parallel [1], but the user then has to
make a conscious decision to do so. If the user is technical enough to
figure out, or even inclined to do this, there are still issues: one of
them will not be added to the Start Menu, no system file association
will be made, no desktop icon; it's one or the other.

Program bin files are identical to OOo, meaning that they both use
soffice, scalc, etc. LibO should change these file names to loffice,
lcalce, etc., so that there is no duplicity/confusion as to which
program the user is to run.

I find the Win install issue critical to LibO's success/future.


> What do you expect when Installing/Updating LibreOffice?

A working install/upgrade without interference to other system programs
(OOo).

> 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?

No.

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

Having a linux repository is critical to LibO's success on linux. I test
such packages, but primarily only do one-off downloads when necessary
(new standard OOo packages being an example). The latter case means that
I only download & test/use when I "get around to it". The former case
(repo update/upgrade) gets my attention & I typically upgrade/update
when notified; I then spend my time/efforts evaluating/using the repo
version.

Note: I typically have at least 3-4 OOo versions installed at any one time:
o Ubuntu Proposed (U)OOo 3.2.1
o Standard OOo 3.2.1
o Dev OOo 3.3.x
o Go-oo (whatever version I decide to download & use alien to convert
from RPM's on linux, or the latest in Win)
o And now LibO versions (linux .deb and Win)
I also *require* the ability to run any of those in parallel and at the
same time as the others so that I can easily compare against the other,
and/or against my ancient versions of MS Office (2002 is my newest)
running in VM's.

[1] Please see my thread "[libreoffice-users] [Windows] LibO in
parallel w/OOo?" on the users list for added details.


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