As a user I always download the zip file. Echoing Mike's reply, I work across Linux, Windows, and OSX and my mouse always goes toward the zip. I've never run into any file permission/attribute issues with the zip distribution. Everything that should be executable always has been. So if you axed one, my non-binding, FWIW vote would be to keep zip. :)
Jeff On Tue, Jun 26, 2018 at 5:28 AM Mike Thomsen <[email protected]> wrote: > I would lean toward Zip because it is the format that is supported by > Windows, macOS and Linux out of the box. I think the ease of use for > Windows users is particularly important. > > On Mon, Jun 25, 2018 at 11:34 PM Andy LoPresto <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > Hi folks, > > > > I do not want to start a long-running argument or entrenched battle. > > However, having just performed the RM duties for the latest release, I > > believe I have identified a resource inefficiency in the fact that we > > generate, upload, host, and distribute two compressed archives of the > > binary which are functionally equivalent. For 1.7.0, both the .tar.gz and > > .zip files are 1.2 GB (1_224_352_000 bytes for tar.gz vs. 1_224_392_000 > > bytes for zip). The time to build and sign these is substantial, but the > > true cost comes in uploading and hosting them. While the fabled extension > > registry will save all of us from this burden, it isn’t arriving > tomorrow, > > and I think we could drastically improve this before the next release. > > > > I have no personal preference between the two formats. In earlier days, > > there were platform inconsistencies and the tools weren’t available on > all > > systems, but now they are pretty standard for all users. This [1] is an > > interesting article I found which had some good info on the origins, and > > here are some additional resources for anyone interested [2][3]. I don’t > > care which we pick, but I propose removing one of the options for the > build > > going forward (toolkit as well). > > > > That said, if someone has a good reason that both are necessary, I would > > love to hear it. I didn’t find anything on the Apache Release Policy > which > > stated we must offer both, but maybe I missed it. Thanks. > > > > [1] https://itsfoss.com/tar-vs-zip-vs-gz/ > > [2] https://superuser.com/a/1257441/40003 > > [3] https://superuser.com/a/173995/40003 > > [4] https://www.apache.org/legal/release-policy.html#artifacts > > > > > > Andy LoPresto > > [email protected] > > *[email protected] <[email protected]>* > > PGP Fingerprint: 70EC B3E5 98A6 5A3F D3C4 BACE 3C6E F65B 2F7D EF69 > > > > >
