[odf-discuss] Idea for "ODF Viewer Beta 2"

[Daniel Carrera]

Hello,

Just thinking out loud here... I'd like to change the installation
method of the ODF viewer before the final release. The zip file idea
works (or can be made to work) but it doesn't feel very polished. So,
for the next beta release I'd like to experiment with installers:

* For Windows I think I'll try the NSIS installer. I do have a Windows
partition on my computer that I never use, so I can boot into it to make
an installer.

* For Linux I would like to try Autopackage http://autopackage.org
Autopackage essentially makes an installer for Linux. I think it's
better than the alternatives:

1. 'make install' => Not really appropriate for end users. Not because
they are too dumb, but because it just doesn't feel like a polished
product.

2. native packages => The only problem is that there are several package
formats. I would likely end up making a DEB and an RPM and put up with
complaints from Slackware and Gentoo users because I'm ignoring them.

Also, the viewer seems like a good candidate for Autopackage because it
is a very self-contained application.

I've never made an autopackage before, and it might turn out to be more
trouble than it's worth. But I wanted to share what I'm thinking right
now.

Cheers,
Daniel.