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

[Zdenek Wagner]

2008/10/12 Niels Kobschaetzki <n.kobschaetzki at googlemail.com>:
> 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)

This may be an option in the installation dialog

> 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
>



-- 
Zdeněk Wagner
http://hroch486.icpf.cas.cz/wagner/
http://icebearsoft.euweb.cz