Re: Update Hombrew install instructions on the web site

>>>> I’ve just tried to install Zero Install using Homebrew as described
>>>> on the
>>>> web site, and found that it doesn’t work.
> 
> But the homebrew instructions can probably be fixed too,
> if you say what the brew problem was that you encountered.
> 
> Not that I've tried it in a while, but it *used* to work ?
> Like Thomas said, we can easily update the homepage in git.

I tried the homebrew instructions on OS X Yosemite, and there
doesn't seem to be anything *majorly* wrong with it afaict... ?

$ brew install gettext pkg-config gnupg gtk+ ocaml opam

$ opam install yojson xmlm ounit react lwt extlib ssl ocurl lablgtk


Now, there are some changes that one could do to make it easier:

Back when I wrote instructions, I was trying to keep /usr/local
with the default contents (mostly empty) and permissions (wheel)
and avoid the instructions to open it up and avoid everything else.
Seems like nobody cares anymore, and you lose the "bottle" support.

Same goes for OPAM, let it clobber the home directory all it wants.
Also, since last time the gtk+ installation has been changed to use
the "quartz" gdk backend rather than the "x11" backend like before.
So there should be no need to have to install Xquartz for the user.

We also don't have to use the latest greatest from git for 0install,
but can install the release version (currently 2.8) with OPAM instead:

$ opam install 0install
The following actions will be performed:
  ∗  install   sha      1.9                   [required by 0install]
  ↘  downgrade ssl      0.5.0 to 0.4.7        [required by lwt]
  ↘  downgrade lwt      2.4.8 to 2.4.6        [required by 0install]
  ↻  recompile ocurl    0.7.4                 [uses lwt]
  ∗  install   0install 2.8           
===== ∗  2   ↻  1   ↘  2 =====

Then we get something like this (homebrew doesn't care about theming):
http://afb.users.sourceforge.net/zero-install/0install-homebrew.png

The missing translations makes it look funny, not sure if those are
supported yet or if it was just due some strange install location ?


The downloads for ocaml/opam are still quite large (like 250M or so),
but that could be avoided by providing a pre-built 0install "bottle".

For that to happen, it still needs to be "blessed" by the distribution...
Which, ironically, is part of the same problem 0install is trying to fix:

"You don't need to be blessed by a distribution (or anyone else) to be part of 0install;"
"there is no need to give users root privileges just so that they can install software."

But as long as we give up trying, and just include it in the mainstream,
the installation becomes "easier". So why not use that method for all ?

Anyway, we could go back to the "let it prompt the user" method perhaps...
So it wouldn't be fully automatic, but at least it would ask some questions:

GnuPG
    Gnupg is required to use these tools.

    You can install Gnupg or Gnupg2 with Homebrew:
      brew install gnupg
      brew install gnupg2

    Or you can use one of several different
    prepackaged installers that are available.

OPAM
    Unsatisfied dependency: #{@module_name}
    Homebrew does not provide #{@language.to_s.capitalize} dependencies; install with:
      #{command_line} #{@module_name}


I'll leave the bundle up for 2.8 (of course), but something to consider ?
And it would still be nice to get rid of the GnuPG and GTK+ dependencies.

--anders


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