🚀 go-pugleaf

Don Gillies writes:

>(c) The cost in software distribution is horrendous.  Many companies
>today must distribute 2,3,4, or 5 disks with their product.  This
>costs money because:
> (1) The floppies themselves cost money, so does the extra duplication.
> (2) developers have to hassle with packing everything tightly on the disks.
>

The problem there, Don, is the same one I face at HP.  The product we
ship goes to people with all varieties of storage hardware.  Our
introduction 2 or 3 years back of 770 K micros didn't alleviate the
media-count problem; rather it exacerbated it, as customers with
double-sided drives want a convenient package (fewer double-sided
discs), while customers with older equipment MUST have single-sided
media (same disk count, plus more media for enhancements).  We now ship
3 different formats!  There are 5-1/4, 3-1/2 SS, and 3-1/2 DS. Total
count appx 43 discs, for a product that originally required 4 SS 5-1/4
discs.

It's too bad the world isn't simpler...

>Are you listening Apple?
>
>Don Gillies {ihnp4!uiucdcs!gillies} U of Illinois
>            {gillies@p.cs.uiuc.edu}

Scott Bayes
bayes@hpfclw