From:	MERC::"uunet!asc-yf.WPAFB.AF.MIL!nieland_t" 23-OCT-1992 17:40:34.20
To:	DECUS-PORTERS@asc-yf.wpafb.af.mil
CC:	
Subj:	Thoughts on the CD as we come near the wire

Just a few thoughts as we try to get things wrapped up on the CD.

Mainly - packaging.

When we put the programs on the CD, we should try to be consistant on what is 
there. 

Also, I would like to have one directory with the executables/datafiles for 
"standard" utilities.  This would be similar to the current VMS Startup set 
that has almost everything one needs to get going, including the installation 
and login command procedures.

So what I would like to propose is that for each program we try to do the 
following: 

1) Have an AAAREADME.TXT file at the top of source directory with the usual 
stuff (what the program does, what the files are, how to build it, ect).

2) Have an executable if it makes sense. (Some device drivers and programs 
have to be linked to the system and we should only provide objects.)

3) Have a command procedure that performs any system start-up installation 
tasks (logical name definitions, image INSTALLs, batch job submissions, etc).
For ease of finding this, call it <program_name>.COM_STARTUP

4) Have a command procedure that performs any login tasks (logical name 
definitions, symbol definitions, etc).  For ease of finding this, call it 
<program_name>.COM_LOGIN.

For creating the command procedures, assume that the executables/help 
libraries and such are in a directory pointed to by the logical name 
DECUS_VMS_STARTUP.  (A symbol for ZIP would then be:

		$ ZIP :== $ DECUS_VMS_STARTUP:ZIP.EXE


5) A text file with comments difference listing or something that would show 
what it took to port the program from OpenVMS VAX to OpenVMS AXP.

I think if we can do this it will make the integration go much easier and make 
a much better product for DECUS.

Ted Nieland				nieland_t@kahuna.asc-yf.wpafb.af.mil
(513) 476-4639				nieland@ted.hcst.com
Hassler Communications Systems Technology