From: duperval@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Duperval Laurent)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux
Subject: Re: WANT GCC? FORGET FAQ.GCC AND README?? READ THIS FIRST!!!!
Date: 8 Sep 92 04:18:37 GMT
Organization: Universite de Montreal

In article <186a86INNcsb@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> mal11@po.CWRU.Edu (Matthew A. Lewis) writes:
>Forget README and FAQ.
>THEY JUST AREN'T WORTH THE TIME READING!!!!!!!!!!!
>

Hmm... that's odd.  The first time I tried to install GCC, it worked fine for
me.  Of course I read all the release notes and the associated README's to
make sure I knew what I was doing.

>You can find the above in /pub/linux/packages/GCC
>
>You will also need 097.tar.Z (or something like that) from 
>/pub/linux/sources/system
>

As long as you're giving out information, why not make it complete?  You need
the sources for the linux kernel on-line as well as the newest set of include
files provided by Linus.  (The files are linux-0.97.tar.Z and 0-97inc.tar.Z)

>This is the linux source code. Get the patches if you want them.
>(I personally haven't figured out what to do with them. :) )
>

You're supposed to apply the patches to the original sources.  This fixes bugs
found in older versions of the kernel.  And Linus generally adds new
functionality to the kernel when he releases a patch.

If you've got a UNIX machine, try 'man patch'.  It could enlighten you a bit.

>So now you have these files. Hopefully they were transfered without any
>corruption. Unfortunately they are VERY large, so I would get corrupted
>ones about every 5th try. And you won't find this out until you're in
>LINUX and then you'll have to reboot into DOS. Major frustration.
>

That's odd.  I got all of my files without a glitch.

>BTW, these files should be in a DOS dir and they WILL take up alot of memory.
>I think about 5MB.
>
>Now reboot into LINUX and login as root. Now follow these commands.
>
>cd /
>mcd c:\<the dos dir with the above files>
>mcopy c:*.* .

Uhm... that would be 

mcopy 'c:*' .

assuming those are the only files contained in that directory.

>
>That should get all those files into the LINUX root dir.
>Now, change their names using the mv (move) command.
>
>mv <fucked up dos filename now in linux>  <new filename>
>
>Do it according to these transformations:
>install.2.x  --------->   install.2.x
>binutils.tar.Z ------->   binutils.tar.Z
>2.2.2ddb.tar.Z ------->   2ddb.tar.Z
>2.2.2dlib.tar.Z ------>   2dlib.tar.Z
>2.2.2dmisc.tar.Z ----->   2dmisc.tar.Z
>097pl1inc.tar.Z ------>   097inc.tar.Z
>097.tar.Z ------------>   097.tar.Z
>
>remember that these names on the left will be REALLY screwed up!!!!
>keep track of them.........

On the other hand, you can always take all the files and put them in one
gigantic ZIP or ZOO file.  That way they will all retain their original names.
And although the files contain more than 14 characters, the install script
will function nevertheless.  Just unZIP(ZOO) and go.


>The reason that we have to do all this crap is because LINUX has a
>limitation on length of filenames. UNIX doesn't have them. 

Guess what, SCO-Unix, Interactive Unix and others still have a 14-character
file name limit.

>DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS CAN BE CHANGED??????
>

Sure, shell out 25K, get a Sparc Station with SunOS and enjoy life.

>Now we need to install the kernel sources. 
>
>cd /usr
>mkdir src
>cd src
>mkdir linux
>cd /
>cp 097.tar.Z /usr/src/linux
>cd /usr/src/linux

BZZZZZZZTTTTTT!  Wrong, thank you for playing.

Copy the file to /usr/src and uncompress and untar from there.  This will
create the /usr/src/linux directory properly.

>uncompress 097.tar.Z
>tar -xvf 097.tar
>
>That should make some file and directories. 
>now do this.

(I don't know if this is the right way to go.  Do this, do this, do that.
Don't think, just do it.  Everything will be all right.  Don't worry, Big
Brother has got you in His arms)

>
>cd /
>cp 097inc.tar.Z /usr/src/linux
>cd /usr/src/linux

By the way, if you're already in /usr/src/linux, why not just

cp /097inc.tar.Z .

and save yourself the hassle of going from on directory to the next?  Jeez, I
knew MS-LOSS got its name from inducing brain-cell atrophy but I never thought
it could get this bad.

>uncompress 097inc.tar.Z
>tar -xvf 097inv.tar
>
>More source files are made.
>

Actually, include files are created but go on.

>NOW WE ARE READY TO DO WHAT IT DOES SAY IN README AND GCC.FAQ
>Fortunately, it's only one line.
>
>Go to the root directory.
>
>cd /
>sh install.2.x -v 2d /usr/src/linux
>
>The program will ask you about a math coprocessor. Answer accordingly.
>Eventually the program will barf looking for some file in a dir
>like /usr/lib..../2d/......./<some file>
>
>The problem is with this 2d directory, an artifact of this process of 
>dealing with LINUX filename length restrictions.
>
>Change directories to the dir ABOVE 2d.
>
>do an 'ls' command.
>all you should see is 2.2.2d
>
>do this
>
>mv 2.2.2d 2d
>cd /
>sh install.2.x -v 2d /usr/src/linux
>
>
>This should either make it all the way through the installation script, or
>it will barf on another file in some subdirectory of a 2d directory.
>
>Find it and change 2.2.2d to 2d like about and run sh again.   
>

Or don't do any name changes and everything should run smoothly.

BTW, this is a comment to HJ: you should really try to keep the filenames
under 14 characters.  It does tend to confuse.

>This will put you where I am. 

Ouch!  What a sobering thought.


> With a ton of files on my harddrive (which
>ones can I erase?????????). The compiler gcc in /usr/bin. And some
>instruction to remove some lines from the LINUX kernel Makefile and
>then do a make dep.
>
>unfortunately....I can't find make. And I haven't an editor. My vi
>doesn't work yet. 

A-ha!  We get to the root of the problem.  Old man Howler here, hasn't got a
complete system yet.  Get one of three installation packages that exist and
save yourself the trouble of sending out partial and (IMNSHO) not very
instructive information.  I don't believe the theory that all people ressemble
me (i.e. as bright or as stupid as I am).  But in this case, and for all the
other people out there who want to try Linux but can't get it up and started:

	mcc-interim version 0.97 pl2 has been out for more than a week now.  It
	was the first Linux installation package released and I used it without
	any problems so far.  It doesn't tell you to do this and do that without
	telling you what's going on and that's why I personnally recommend it for
	anyone installing Linux for the first time.

	SLS is another package which has gotten rave reviews in the past few
	weeks.  I haven't tried it personnally.  Someone who has may want to give
	his(her) opinion.

	The MJ release is a spin-off on mcc-interim and has been judged as a good
	installation package also.  I haven't tried it either.

Use the above packages if you are not confortable with Linux yet.  Hey!  I'm
getting pretty confortable with it but I may decide to trash my entire file
system and re-install Linux using one of the above-mentioned packages.

>
>BTW, if you don't like these instruction, screw you. It worked for me :)
>

I sure hope you never intend to work in a position where you have to teach
anyone anything.  You techniques leave much to be desired.

>Hopefully this will motivate someone (in authority?) to make this
>installation process a little easier.
>

People have worked long and hard to make Linux as easy to use and install as
possible.  If you find it's not easy enough, write your own installation
scripts and make them available.  If you can't do that, then haul your
obnoxious, I-need-my-hand-to-be-held, can't-read-instructions-and-
understand-at-the-same-time, DOS-loving ass back to the MS-DOS world and do us
all a favor.

To all the others, I don't usually pay any mind to ranting *ssholes like this
but this one was way out of line.

We now return you to your regurlarly scheduled newsreader.
-- 
Laurent Duperval
duperval@ere.umontreal.ca
duperval@jsp.umontreal.ca
If you gotta go, go happy... or surprised.  -Me