At 9:13 PM -0400 7/26/01, Todd Vierling wrote:
>On Thu, 26 Jul 2001, Henry B. Hotz wrote:
>
>: >: Since we are asking, can you include a TGZ of the kernel source 
>in there as
>: >: well?
>: >
>: >Probably not in the single-arch ISOs on ftp.netbsd.org, as these images are
>: >already rather large for the FTP servers (and would grow obnoxiously if the
>: >kernel source were embedded in each).
>: >
>: >If, in the future, I manage to get some acceptance of the "expack" FTP
>: >filter for generating images from a shrunk form on-the-fly, I could add
>: >this.
>:
>: I have mixed feelings about this.  I'd like the source code.  I'd
>: also like the images to be smaller so the don't take so long to
>: download via modem.
>
>The problem isn't size to download, it's buffer cache thrash and disk space
>on the FTP server and its mirrors.  This issue is being worked on, in the
>context of tools that make including things like source tarballs less of a
>burden on the FTP server.

I understand that's not the problem *you're* worried about.  I'm just 
talking about my own situation where I don't have a DSL line at home 
and I had just finished downloading the source and the i386 and 
macppc distributions when the iso images came out.  It's nice having 
everything on a bootable CD, but the added value of the source in 
that form is not that great compared to the time for downloading it 
twice.  OTOH if I was buying CD's I'd rather get everything.

It took the better part of a week of download time, partly because I 
was still shaking out a new setup.  OTOH I can say I like the 
reliability of my new V.92 modem and ISP.


Cross my heart, strike me dead, stick a lobster on my head.
John Crichton -- Farscape, 6/15/01
h.b.hotz@jpl.nasa.gov, or hbhotz@oxy.edu