New FTP directory format


What do we think we're doing?
------------------------------
    We have recently re-organized the directory on cray-ymp.acm.stuorg.vt.edu
in which you can find NetBSD/Mac68k, also known as MacBSD.
    It occurred to us in the Alice Group that there is a great deal of
confusion among users of MacBSD as to what files are the most recent and
which work with which kernels and so on.  Some users on the mailing list
have reported bugs resulting solely from disorganization, such as using 
three-month old booters with brand-new kernels, and unpacking four-month
old tar files wondering why the new binaries don't work.
    We have decided to restructure the cray-ymp FTP site (and hopefully
your nearest mirror) in order to apply some control to our own software
releases and to clear up confusion some users may have.


Is there any logic to this?
----------------------------
    There are two basic kinds of software release from the Alice Group:
the "full" release, and the "incremental" release.  A full release
corresponds to a set of MacBSD tar files, an up-to-date archive of the
MacOS utilities for MacBSD, FAQ, README, and so on.  An incremental
release contains updates to the utilities and MacBSD; a new booter or
kernel, for example.
    We intend to full releases with documentation, installation files,
and utilities after reasonable testing in a clear, consistent structure.
We will relegate old full releases to the archives.   Subsequent updates
to the release will be provided in an archive with a README.  This should
make it relatively easy for MacBSD users to obtain updates and figure out
how recent their installed distribution is.


How does it look now?
---------------------
    Here is the FTP directory structure as it stands:

cray-ymp.acm.stuorg.vt.edu:~ftp/pub/NetBSD_Mac
    REORGANIZATION		This announcement
    README                      Brief intro, instructions, history
    CONTENTS                    What are all these files?
    FAQ                         Frequently Asked Questions
    tar_files/		
        *.tar.cpt.bin           Initial release tar files
    mac_os/			Anything MacOS related
        MacSideUtils.cpt.bin    Mac OS utilities for MacBSD
        MacSideSource.cpt.bin   Source to Mac OS utilities for MacBSD
    updates/			Updates to the initial release
        update.122193.cpt.bin   December 21st update: booters, awk, tcsh, bash,
        update.122193.README       config.new
        update.010294.cpt.bin   January 2nd update: new booter, new kernels,
        update.010294.README       con program, sound programs
    new_kernels/                Most recent kernels and test kernels
        README.netbsd-current   Explaining current kernel
        netbsd-current.gz       The most up-to-date kernel we have (Allen has)
        (any other kernels)
    docs/
        Installation_Manual.cpt.bin
                                Installation Manual for MS Word
        Installation_Manual.txt Installation Manual in ASCII
	*_HOWTO			Documents explaining "how-to" perform
				   operations in MacBSD, like bring up
				   SL/IP, install on a Syquest cartridge...
	INDEX			An Index of the HOWTO files
    compile_kern/		Kernel compilation files
    OBSOLETE/			All the old files, minus the Alpha2 tars.
				   (only temporary)


Full releases?
---------------
    The Alice Group will make a full release when it decides that the
structure of the distribution has changed enough to be independent
of the last release.  This will probably occur whenever the fundamental
executable structure changes, whenever the kernel undergoes a basic
reorganization, or when any significantly important event occurs.
(Comet sightings are being considered.)
    A new full release will probably consist of these things:
        README, CONTENTS, and FAQ
        Distribution tar files 
        Archive of MacOS utilities
        Installation Manual and other documentation


What about updates?
--------------------
    Updates will be released when available as an archive containing the
updated files and a README companion to the archive.
    The basic mechanism for performing an update will be to unpack the
archive in the MacBSD folder in MacOS and then run the installer over
the resulting tar archive.  Your MacOS and MacBSD files will then be
up-to-date, and the README will contain any further instructions.
    Each update will consist of these things:
        update.mmddyy.cpt.bin
		Updates to MacOS utilities
		tar archive update to NetBSD side
        update.mmddyy.README
		Explaining the update


What happened to the old stuff on cray-ymp?
--------------------------------------------
	Alpha2/*.tar.Z          Moved to tar_files/*.tar.cpt.bin
	ALICE.README            renamed README
	MacBSD.FAQ              renamed FAQ
	MacBSDmikehacked...     Moved into update.122193
	booter_nomath.cpt.bin   Moved into update.122193
	binaries/*              Moved into update.122193
	hacks.cpt.bin           Moved into update.010294
	newbooter-8k_4k...      Moved into update.010294
	kernels/netbsd.II       Moved into update.010294
	kernels/netbsd.CI       Moved into update.010294
	kernels/all others	Moved into new_kernels/
	ksrc/ksrc.tar.gz	Moved into compile_kern/
	contents                now CONTENTS
	macsource/*             repackaged as MacSideSource.cpt.bin (soon)
	make_dist1              incorporated into CONTENTS

(Everything has also been temporarily copied into OBSOLETE/.)


What does this mean for me?
----------------------------
	If you're already running the Alpha2 system with all the newest
files from cray-ymp as of January 23, you don't have to do anything.
	If you're in the process of making a MacBSD system, we hope (I
hope) that this new structure makes it easier for you to determine how
to install and upgrade your site.
	In the future, we will announce any addition to the FTP directory.


Have a nice day!
----------------
	Please address all questions to alice@cray-ymp.acm.stuorg.vt.edu.


SPECIAL NOTES
--------------
 - Installation Manual is being updated and will be added soon
 - tar files are cpt.bin instead of .gz because gzip-02 doesn't run under
   MacOS 6.*
 - MacSideSources are being cleaned up (a little) and will be available
   soon.
-- 
Brad Grantham, grantham@netcom.com ---------- Happily slaved to NetBSD/Mac68k!
Please don't put me under undue stress; I'm in a support group for people who
--------------------- buy their watches from Radio Shack. --------------------
!!! UNIX forever, NT never, UNIX forever, NT never, UNIX forever, NT never !!!

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