distributions

[Jim Van Zandt]

cdr at sme.siemens.com writes:
>Let's see, what are we up to here for topics to review?

>5  Does the distribution have tracability - can I tell which package a given
>   file came from, which disk the package came from, and what the home site
>   is for the package?  (For example, on Slackware /var/adm/packages has files
>   which let me trace file->package->disk.  However, I don't know how
>   to find the home sites.)

Also, if you don't install everything, are some pointers left behind
about what else is available, and how to add it later? 

>10  Have the common security holes been plugged?  Does COPS give it a
>clean bill of health?

Also Satan, of course.

and...

11.  Documentation.  
	a. Man pages set up properly?  Roff source, or only formatted?  
Compressed?  Is "whatis" rebuilt to include only the installed programs?
	b. Info files installed?  For only the installed programs, or 
others too?  Are there corresponding menu items in the appropriate "dir"
files?  Is the standalone "info" program installed?
	c. Other documentation for installed packages?  (PostScript, 
FAQ/HOWTO, ordinary text files, etc.)
	d. Documentation for the distribution itself?  Does the user
have to determine the answers to most of the above by exploration?

                       - Jim Van Zandt