[tz] [PROPOSED PATCH 2/2] Use lz format for new tarball

[Paul Eggert]

Deborah Goldsmith wrote:
> What is the goal for making these changes to the distribution format?

1. Simplifying the distribution process. This can be seen in the proposed 
changes to tz-link.htm describing how to download and extract the release. The 
current tz-link.htm uses five shell commands to do that; the proposed 
tz-link.htm cuts this to two. These simplifications will make configuration 
errors less likely, as well as make it easier for newcomers.

2. Shrinking the distribution tarball. This matters less, but while we're doing 
(1) we might as well do (2). Not everyone is as well-off and well-connected as 
Apple and UCLA.

 > It’s going to cause a lot of work for a lot of people.

It'll be a bit of work at the start, to change unpacking scripts. But the 
changes are small, and it should save some work in the long run. And there's no 
rush, as the old-format tarballs will continue to be distributed.

> most customers of tz would be quite happy for the distribution to continue in its current form forever.

Change is such a pain! :-) That being said, the distribution format has changed 
over time and it will change in the future. This is inevitable in any 
successful, longrunning project.


Alexander Belopolsky wrote:
 > If the size of data distribution is a concern, it looks like one can
 > achieve a much better compression by simply discarding comments

But the comments are the best part! :-)