Re: Emacs Installer for MS Windows

[Steven Tamm]

GTK is placed inside "c:\program files\common files", while gaim (and 
other programs I can find) are placed inside "C:\program files".  It's 
not a very good standard, but it is a standard.  I have found no 
trouble when installing emacs in any location.  I would recommend 
following this convention as the default.  The command shell on modern 
Win32 systems correctly handles spaces in many situations, and any 
scripts written should be able to handle any location, even with 
spaces.

As for "C:\GNU".  On Mac OS X, a decision was made by Fink team to 
create a directory called "/sw" into which all free software is placed. 
 They did this to maintain a clear separation between the software that 
comes with darwin and the software installed by fink.  When the system 
is upgraded, the fink software remains without being clobbered by any 
changes made in darwin (unlike /usr/local).   This is a very good idea 
for them because the entire directory is controlled by one entity (the 
fink software).  This argument also applies to cygwin.

Emacs for Win32, on the other hand, is a first class application, not a 
suite.  It should be treated like another first class application (like 
gaim, which also defaults to Program Files).  As for scripting, that 
will be a tiny fraction of all users, and those can change the 
directory.  GNUserv uses the registry, by default to

As for personal preference, I would do the following:

%PROGRAM_FILES%\GNU Emacs\bin\emacs.exe
or possibly this, although less desirable since there aren't any 
symbolic links
%PROGRAM_FILES%\GNU Emacs\21.3\bin\emacs.exe

I will, of course, change it to c:\emacs whatever the installer does; 
but the most "Windows-like" default would be the above.
-Steven

On Aug 24, 2004, at 12:04 AM, Berndl, Klaus wrote:

> > > A) "c:\program files\emacs\bin\emacs.exe
> > > B) "c:\program files\emacs-21.3\bin\emacs.exe
> > > C) "c:\program files\emacs\emacs\bin\emacs.exe
> > > D) "c:\program files\emacs\emacs-21.3\bin\emacs.exe
> > >
> > > Which one would you prefer? What about using "c:\program files"?
>
> > Folder names with spaces are always a nightmare in scripts. Can we 
> > avoid
> > this and try to install
> > directly under "C:/GNU/emacs" or "C:/GNU/emacs-21.3 ".
> > IMO, many users using GNU Emacs use lot of other GNU software, having 
> > a
> > top level GNU folder might help proper grouping of related tools.
>
> Definitely not... i would really recommend using "program files" 
> because this is THE place where windows-programs are installled for 
> most of the users... at least this should be the default place your 
> installer should recommend because if a user wants it at different 
> place he is able to change this, isn't he? At least i hope so, because 
> any installer which doesn't allow where to install the stuff is quite 
> useless...
>
> Klaus
>
>
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