[Info-vax] Software Distribution Strategies (was: Re: OT: Linux on IA64 and-or Alpha)

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2016-09-01 16:03:08 +0000, Neil Rieck said:

> I'm new to this but have just learned that most Linux distros publish 
> huge machine-specific binaries which requires a major effort for each 
> release.
> Meanwhile, Gentoo publishes a machine-specific minimal boot CD (which 
> rarely changes) then attempts to build what you require during 
> installation from a common tar-ball (which changes every few weeks). 
> This allows them to offer software for all kinds of hardware like 
> Alpha, system/390, PlayStation3, SPARC, MIPS, etc.

The strategy of using smaller bootable hunks and loading the necessary 
software later — not something particularly common on OpenVMS with its 
traditional "golden master" approach — is used on various other 
platforms, and by various organizations.

Folks doing there own distributions usually start out with some 
approach similar to OpenVMS, and — if (when?) the software and hardware 
permutations and the needs for faster patch distributions increase — 
tend to work toward smaller and minimal kits and more isolated software 
packages and loading pieces at or after boot time — and mechanisms such 
as containers and sandboxes are part of this effort, particularly as 
requirements evolve — to avoid having to re-spin the kit masters each 
time there's a small change, or for each patch that might be required.

Toward more continuous development and deployment.   An approach which 
also has its share of difficulties and problems, certainly.  But — with 
some folks very reasonably kicking and screaming — it's where we're all 
headed, particularly around the need for faster deployments of critical 
patches.

The closest OpenVMS gets to this approach is the so-called SHIP kit — 
and only a very few SHIP kits were ever made available — in conjunction 
with the more-frequently-distributed the ConDist media kits for 
specific add-on packages.  HP/HPE was shipping some new software APIs 
and features via UPDATE kits for a while, though VSI doesn't seem to be 
following that strategy.

Microsoft has used the term "slipstreaming" with Windows for some 
semi-related techniques for adding low-level and hardware support, and 
which is roughly analogous to what OpenVMS calls a SHIP kit.

If you're interested in how distributing software is working around OS 
X / macOS environments, here's a write-up from a few years back that 
provides a decent technical overview and some of the trade-offs and 
tools involved in that area:  
https://www.afp548.com/2013/01/07/how-to-lose-100-pounds-in-10-days/





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