On Thu, 3 Apr 2008, Prasad J Pandit wrote:

>> Can you please elaborate on how that example isn't sane?
>
> Well, I meant it for the whole libcurl library, because my experience with
> it so far has not been very pleasant.

Ok, libcurl is insane because you don't understand it. Forgive me, but based
on the plain and simple fact that hundreds (or is it thousands?) of projects
already learned how to use libcurl with little problems I wouldn't agree with
you.

I would also claim that we provide a lot of docs with libcurl and most of it
is up-to-date. libcurl has a lot of functionality and documenting it all in a
clear and crisp manner is a lot of work. I think we're doing it pretty good
though.

We're 100% volunteers doing this on unpaid spare time. Giving away the quite
possibly most feature-packed low-level multi-platform transfer library on the
planet for free.

> I wanted to use it with my MSVC application, and to start with, there is no
> download link on the `libcurl' section of the.
>
> site: http://curl.haxx.se/libcurl/

There's no download link there for any platform, but there's text explaining
what to download.

I agree that it would be a better solution to have a separate download page
for lib-packages. Unfortunately I don't see it happening in the near future. I
happen to be the main/only web site editor. Of course I appreciate help and
patches from everyone.

> Second, no windows installer for the library.

This is an open source project and we have exactly what contributors provide.
Nobody did a windows installer and I take that as a clear sign that there is
no real interest in one. Things that are truly important to people tend to get
done. Personally I don't ever use Windows, not even for libcurl work.

> All I got was only the library and no headers. So I downloaded the source
> package and compiled the library & installed it but it wouldn't link with my
> application, it said some __imp_curl_easy... symbols were undefined.

http://curl.haxx.se/docs/faq.html#Link_errors_when_building_libcur

> Then I again download the curl source, compiled the library from `lib'
> directory, after defining HTTP_ONLY, and things...I think it's was all too
> much for a library installaion. I mean come-on, it's just the damn library.

I disagree. When you want to do things like HTTP_ONLY it's no longer "just the
damn library". You've then entered the "I tweak and do my own build" area and
then you SHOULD be expected to know more and be more fluent in code and
coding. IMHO.

But again, I'll welcome patches and work that makes this easier to users.

In general I've found very little use to lower the bar very much in one area
such as download/install of the library since the actual use of the library in
a development project already takes some skill and amount of cluefulness and
users with that level often have no problems with the install process either.

> + Maintain seperate sources for libcurl & curl, like `tcpdump' project.

I could do that, but it would put more on me with very very little gain
(especially for me personally). In fact it would even be counter-productive en
masse:

A libcurl package would better include curl as well since the majority of the
test cases use curl for testing and I really wouldn't want to rip out 80%-90%
of the test cases when shipping libcurl just because a few users don't like
the curl tool being in the same bundle.

Even a libcurl package wouldn't gain much size-wise since basically the entire
thing is libcurl.

If more people would sign up behind such an idea, I would possibly start to
listen to it.

> + Have download links to the latest packages/mirrors right in front
> of your project home page.

Isn't providing a download (page) link on the front page somewhat traditional,
found all over the net on various projects and not hard to understand or find?

In my opinion we need the front page to explain what we do and to give a quick
overview and some recent news etc.

> + Provide windows installer.

This isn't my area so I won't be able to do this. Once people really start to
miss this I think someone will provide this. Until then we don't have one.

> + Reduce that stupid site to some couple of pages like `tcpdump.org'.
> You know, IMO no project needs more that two pages for a website.

I find this remark just plain stupid.

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