[tex-live] How about auto-download of classes/styles etc. ?

[Niels Kobschaetzki]

On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 9:22 PM,  <cfrees at imapmail.org> wrote:
> On Sun 12th Oct, 2008 at 20:38, Zdenek Wagner seems to have written:
>
>> 2008/10/12 Victor Ivrii <vivrii at gmail.com>:
>>>
>>> On Sun, Oct 12, 2008 at 2:16 PM, Norbert Preining <preining at logic.at>
>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On So, 12 Okt 2008, Edd Barrett wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I think what I was asking is, do you think it is a useful idea?
>>>>
>>>> Of course, but good luck implementing it ;-) Or you can ask CS for the
>>>> code?
>>>
>>> Great idea to create a bloody mess: one adds a new package, then this
>>> package is snatched but it requires another package which is not on
>>> the computer or the newer version of the package which is already
>>> there and in turn ... and all this is while one is traveling with no
>>> or lousy internet connection and all this just to save a fistful of
>>> gigs not sufficient even for  one HD movie

<don't implement it because cfr thinks it's not a good idea>

> I also don't like things which try to auto download and install
> software "of their own accord" and would personally never enable such
> an option. (Or would do what I could to disable it.) But the
> complications I'm thinking of above are independent of that concern.

You wouldn't, I would. As long as you can disable a feature it won't
hurt anyone. The only questions which would remain:
1. Is it possible to implement it?
2. Should it be "on" per default or "off" (for first
installers/beginners on would be better, if the majority are non-noobs
"off" would be better -- but they got the information of the existence
of the option beforehand anyway and watch out in my experience for new
options in the installers anyway)
3. What happens when you are offline? (how about an error that the
function is not available until you have an internet connection
available……btw. I've never seen packages that used much of space.
Usually it's just the massive amount of available packages, fonts,
binaries etc which take up so much space of a standard install)

And I don't think that this feature would bloat the install in terms
that someone would notice it. I guess the implementing question is the
biggest one because it should be implemented in a way that the tool
you use to call (your)tex can give you feedback.

Niels