Hurd Reference Manual: installation section

[Alfred M. Szmidt]

Hi,

Would anyone mind if we ditched the install section in the Hurd
Reference Manual (from here on I will call it HRM)?  It is very
outdated, and how to install a GNU/Hurd system should be documented
with the actual system, not the Hurd.  For cross-compilation, such
things should live in INSTALL-cross or some such.

doc/
2004-02-01  Alfred M. Szmidt  <ams@kemisten.nu>

        * hurd.texi (Installing): Chapter removed.

--- hurd.texi~  Sat Jan 31 23:36:33 2004
+++ hurd.texi   Sun Feb  1 17:52:46 2004
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@
 
 @menu
 * Introduction::                How to use this manual.
-* Installing::                  Setting up Hurd software on your computer.
 * Bootstrap::                   Turning a computer into a Hurd machine.
 * Foundations::                 Basic features used throughout the Hurd.
 * Input and Output::            Reading and writing I/O channels.
@@ -183,11 +182,6 @@
 * History::                     How the Hurd was born.
 * Copying::                     The Hurd is free software.
 
-Installing
-
-* Binary Distributions::        Obtaining ready-to-run GNU distributions.
-* Cross-Compiling::             Building GNU from its source code.
-
 Bootstrap
 
 * Bootloader::                  Starting the microkernel, or other OSes.
@@ -532,110 +526,6 @@
 @section GNU General Public License
 
 @include gpl.texinfo
-
-
-@node Installing
-@chapter Installing
-
-Before you can use the Hurd on your favorite machine, you'll need to
-install all of its software components.  Currently, the Hurd only runs
-on Intel i386-compatible architectures (such as the Pentium), using the
-GNU Mach microkernel.
-
-If you have unsupported hardware or a different microkernel, you will
-not be able to run the Hurd until all the required software has been
-@dfn{ported} to your architecture.  Porting is an involved process which
-requires considerable programming skills, and is not recommended for the
-faint-of-heart.  If you have the talent and desire to do a port, contact
-@email{bug-hurd@@gnu.org} in order to coordinate the effort.
-
-@menu
-* Binary Distributions::        Obtaining ready-to-run GNU distributions.
-* Cross-Compiling::             Building GNU from its source code.
-@end menu
-
-
-@node Binary Distributions
-@section Binary Distributions
-
-By far the easiest and best way to install the Hurd is to obtain a GNU
-binary distribution.  Even if you plan on recompiling the Hurd itself,
-it is best to start off with an already-working GNU system so that you
-can avoid having to reboot every time you want to test a program.
-
-@ignore @c FIXME: update when binary CD-ROMS are available
-You can order GNU on a CD-ROM from the Free Software Foundation.  Orders
-such as these help fund GNU software development.
-@end ignore
-
-You can get GNU from a friend under the conditions allowed by the GNU
-GPL (@pxref{Copying}).  Please consider sending a donation to the Free
-Software Foundation so that we can continue to improve GNU software.
-
-You can also FTP the complete GNU system from your closest GNU mirror,
-or @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/}.  The GNU binary distribution is
-available in a subdirectory called @file{gnu-@var{n.m}}, where @var{n.m}
-is the version of the Hurd that this GNU release corresponds to
-(@value{VERSION} at the time of this writing).  Again, please consider
-donating to the Free Software Foundation.
-
-The format of the binary distribution is prone to change, so this manual
-does not describe the details of how to install GNU.  The @file{README}
-file distributed with the binary distribution gives you complete
-instructions.
-
-After you follow all the appropriate instructions, you will have a
-working GNU/Hurd system.  If you have used
-@uref{http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html, GNU/Linux} systems or
-other Unix-like systems before, the Hurd will look quite familiar.  You
-should play with it for a while, referring to this manual only when you
-want to learn more about the Hurd.  Have fun!
-
-If the Hurd is your first introduction to the GNU operating system, then
-you will need to learn more about GNU in order to be able to use it.
-You should talk to friends who are familiar with GNU, in order to find
-out about classes, online tutorials, or books which can help you learn
-more about GNU.
-
-If you have no friends who are already using GNU, you can find some
-useful starting points at the GNU web site, @uref{http://www.gnu.org/}.
-You can also send e-mail to @email{help-hurd@@gnu.org}, to contact
-fellow Hurd users.  You can join this mailing list by sending a request
-to @email{help-hurd-request@@gnu.org}.
-
-
-@node Cross-Compiling
-@section Cross-Compiling
-
-Another way to install the Hurd is to use an existing operating system
-in order to compile all the required Hurd components from source code.
-This is called @dfn{cross-compiling}, because it is done between two
-different platforms.
-
-@emph{This process is not recommended unless you are porting the Hurd to
-a new platform.}  Cross-compiling the Hurd to a platform which already
-has a binary distribution is a tremendous waste of time@dots{} it is
-frequently necessary to repeat steps over and over again, and you are
-not even guaranteed to get a working system.  Please, obtain a GNU
-binary distribution (@pxref{Binary Distributions}), and use your time to
-do more useful things.  If you are capable of cross-compiling, then you
-are definitely skilled enough to make more useful (and creative)
-modifications to the GNU system.
-
-To emphasize this point: downloading the entire GNU system over a 9600
-baud modem takes @emph{much less time} than cross-compilation, and
-provides better results, too.
-
-If you are still sure that you would like to cross-compile the Hurd, you
-should send e-mail to the @email{bug-hurd@@gnu.org} mailing list in
-order to coordinate your efforts.  People on that list will give you
-advice on what to look out for, as well as helping you figure out a way
-that your cross-compilation can benefit Hurd development.  After that,
-don your bug-resistant suit, and read the @file{INSTALL-cross} file,
-which comes with the latest Hurd source code distribution.  The
-instructions in @file{INSTALL-cross} are usually out-of-date, but they contain
-some useful hints buried amongst the errors.
-
 
 @node Bootstrap
 @chapter Bootstrap