[Godi-list] GODI news

[Gerd Stolpmann <info@gerd-stolpmann.de>]

Hi caml-list,

Welcome to GODI news, the newsletter that informs you about updates of
GODI, the source-based O'Caml distribution.

------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. GODI releases O'Caml 3.09.1
2. Where to find more information about GODI
------------------------------------------------------------

1. GODI RELEASES O'CAML 3.09.1

The project has just released the package repository for O'Caml 3.09.1.
This is the first released version for the "3.09" branch of the
distribution.

The "3.08" branch of GODI is still supported. The "3.07" branch is
discontinued.

Existing installations of GODI can be easily upgraded. To do so, you
should edit the file godi.conf and set

GODI_SECTION = 3.09

(it was formerly 3.08). The next step is to upgrade the GODI packages
using the standard mechanism. This works in an almost fully automatic
way, GODI takes care not to only build the new O'Caml base but also
rebuilds all dependent libraries. Although well tested, it is
recommended to save a copy of the old installation before trying the
update.

To start the update, invoke godi_console in interactive mode, and do:

- Update the list of packages
- Go into the menu where one can select the packages. Press 'u'
  to upgrade the packages, and confirm with 'o'. Start the installation
  as usual.
- Enjoy the updated installation

It is also possible to do the same from the command-line:

$ godi_console update
$ godi_console wish -rebuild
$ godi_console perform -wishes -newer
$ godi_console wish -reset

Alternatively, you can also bootstrap a new GODI installation, e.g. in
parallel of the existing installation for 3.08. There is a new bootstrap
tarball at 

http://www.ocaml-programming.de/packages/godi-bootstrap-20060118.tar.gz

defaulting to the 3.09 release.


2. WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GODI

GODI is a source-based O'Caml distribution. It consists of a framework
that automatically builds the O'Caml core system, and additionally
installs a growing number of pre-packaged libraries. GODI is available
for O'Caml-3.08 and 3.09. It runs on Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD,
Cygwin, HP-UX, MacOS X.

Advantages of using GODI:

      * Automatic installation of new libraries: GODI knows where a
        library can be downloaded, which prerequisites are needed to
        build it, and which commands must be invoked to compile and
        install it
      * Complete package management of the installation: A library is
        installed as a package (a managed set of files), so it is
        possible to remove it later without any hassle.
      * GODI implements the necessary logic to upgrade installations:
        Because of the way O'Caml works, all dependent libraries must be
        recompiled if a library is upgraded to a newer version. GODI
        automates this process.
      * Integration with the operating system: If additional C libraries
        are needed to build an O'Caml library, and the operating system
        includes them, they will usually be automatically found and
        used. Non-standard locations can be configured (there is only
        one configuration file for the whole installation).
      * GODI has a menu-based user interface that makes it simple to use
        even for beginners.
      * GODI tries to standardize the directory layout of library
        installations, so it becomes simpler to find files of interest.

GODI currently supports 75 add-on libraries and 15 applications written
in O'Caml.

Read more on the GODI homepage: http://godi.ocaml-programming.de

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------
Gerd Stolpmann * Viktoriastr. 45 * 64293 Darmstadt * Germany 
gerd@gerd-stolpmann.de          http://www.gerd-stolpmann.de
Telefon: 06151/153855                  Telefax: 06151/997714
------------------------------------------------------------