Re: [Gnucap-devel] Gnucap docs build failure on FC5 (and other places)

[Russell Shaw]

Stuart Brorson wrote:
> > > Anyway, IMO we shouldn't require users to build .pdf files in their
> > > distributions.  Pdfs should just come with the distribution.  IMO a
> > > .pdf file is a "make dist" target, requiring the developer to have the
> > > right tools installed, not the user.
> >
> > If every package had pdf files already built, it would increase bandwidth
> > usage a large amount (eg, from Debian repositories).
>
> That's silly.  The .pdf of Al's doc is about 1MB.  In a world where
> pimple-faced kids are downloading zillions of MB of songs all the
> time, a 1MB .pdf file is nothing.

It's a relative scale. If your source is 100kB, then you've just multiplied
the bandwidth traffic and charges to someone by a factor of ten. Just because
pimple face idiots are doing it, doesn't mean anyone else should.

> I download scores of component data sheets in .pdf format daily.  It's
> just simply the modern way to distribute documentation.  We free
> software developers are crazy if we stick with Latex and don't adopt
> this trend.

Costs of supplying data sheets are *paid for* and subsidized by manufacturers.
Bloat should be discouraged on a free service such as mirrors of distro
repositories, and reduces network load.

> In any event, not all Linux distros come with Latex installed by
> default.  Silly, yes, but that's the reality.
>
> I'll bet you still use the GNU info system.  :-)

Any system that works for the job. Searching is much faster in info.