RE: OFFTOPIC: Re: bzip2 for kernel dists?

Rik van Riel (H.H.vanRiel@fys.ruu.nl)
Mon, 15 Dec 1997 18:20:46 +0100 (MET)


On Fri, 12 Dec 1997, linux kernel account wrote:

> On Thu, 11 Dec 1997, Jordan Mendelson wrote:
>
> > So, bzip2 yeilds better compression, it's free (no patent restrictions on
> > algs, etc), and it's available in binary & source form for Linux & a number
> > of other OSs. What's keeping kernels from being distributed like this?
>
> One reason is that: While compressing you typical 30meg kernel tar, one
> tends to grow old and grey.. I use bzip2 all the time, it's good... But
> it's VERY slow..

In fact, in the 1.1.7x era, bzip2 probably wouldn't have
kept up with the rate Linus was putting out patches :-)

But now that most distributors have Pentia or higher, and
the Internet has gotten overly busy/slow, bzip2 might be
a Good Thing (at least for some people).

Rik.
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