[Info-vax] GNV (was: Re: Some questions on software for VMS 7.3 VAX)

[John Reagan]

On Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 4:27:39 PM UTC-5, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
> On 2016-01-21 21:09:49 +0000, John Reagan said:
> 
> > Yes, it is/was a poor attempt by the GNV startup to allow installations 
> > on alternate disks, but to still populate the root emulation.  I was 
> > looking at the GNV$STARTUP today (which calls PSX$UP_STARTUP.COM).  All 
> > that stuff has been commented out in the current V3.0 GNV kits.
> 
> The GNV kit is a crucible of informative mistakes, to paraphrase a sig file...
> 
> http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/1481
> 
> If there are any changes made to the kit, please make always the kit 
> always install always in the same always spot always.   Stop trying to 
> save room on the system disk -- that hasn't been an issue for any sanely 
> managed site in a decade or more.  The added software complexity costs 
> everybody else more than the few folks that are overdue for a disk 
> upgrade might save, too.
> 

I'd love to remove PCSI's /DESTINATION qualifier.  Plus, the GNV install script also gives you the ability to move the POSIX root as well (the default is on the system disk).  Kerry (and others who bumped into this) went out of their way to use /DESTINATION or asked to move the POSIX root.  I also see no benefit.