Multiple OS / glest.ini ...

[titi]

For a common release with multiple operating systems binaries it would be nice to have all OS dependend stuff separated by extentions/suffixes.

for example like this:

glest.ini  ( windows )
glest_linux.ini  ( linux )
or in special subdirectories....

Same for the libs directory and executable files.
It would be nice to have something like nexuiz has in its distributed zip file,
where all OSses are distributed together ready to run in one package. (www.nexuiz.com)
One windows exe and one shellscript which devides the different Linux/unix types and starts the correct binary.

Idially we end up in ONE distribution for the most commonly used OSs( like they do ). ( currently for example linux_x68 linux_64 windows )

What do you think of this?

[hailstone]

The only OS dependent things in the releases are the binary and the ini file. Currently for Linux you use the package manager to install libs and for Windows you download the zip with the dependencies.

Distributing for all OSes in the one file increases the size with the only benefit I can see as being slightly easier to install. This can be overcome with clear instructions and installers.

[titi]

But if you take my megapack ( as a base of a distribution ) its currently 160 MB if you so if you build up a full release based on this, you get abou 180 MB ( for one OS ). I think its no big difference if your release has 195 MB instead, but including all binaries!
And otherwise you have to release more than one big pack for every OS!

And in fact lots of "real gamers" and kids don't know anything about computers, but they all want to play ( glest of course :-) )....
For those, the setup process must be as easy as possible in any OS.
Currently for those persons its not that easy to setup glest and add some mods, because they are complely noobs!
Thats what I see with lots of friends of my son. They are often not able to setup glest properly, even in windows (especially vista)!! .
And to install a mod is completly impossible for them.....

Thats why I think about big package releases, including all good stuff available now.
And for multiplayer reasons, there should be really no difference in the data, and thats best made with the one package for all OS release.
( And I think thats exactly the way other big free games do it too ).

[modman]

Actually, I've downloaded tons of free games (actually, that's how I found Glest), and I think the setup is just as easy as other games.  So you don't have to try and make the setup any easier...it's pretty straightforward.