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

[johnwallace4 at yahoo.co.uk]

On Thursday, 1 September 2016 17:51:43 UTC+1, Stephen Hoffman  wrote:
> 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/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC

I'm not sure you're using the same definition of 'slipstream'
as is used by the Windows world.

Slipstreaming is something typically done outside MS by IT
departments who want to build a local 'standard' Windows
installation image (CD/DVD/etc), which would then be used to
install a customised 'standard' Windows.

As far as I'm aware there is no digital signature mechanism
involved either in generating the image or in installing
from it, so it could also be a marvellous malware
distribution mechanism. (The only time I've worked on a 
seriously virus-infested site, the virus was introduced by
the IT department).