Update documentation; include doc file for distributors.

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 905a25f..8ea107b 100644 (file)
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ VERSION = $(shell cat version)
 SOURCES = ldlinux.asm syslinux.asm syslinux.c copybs.asm
 BTARGET = bootsect.bin ldlinux.sys ldlinux.bin ldlinux.lst
 ITARGET = syslinux.com syslinux copybs.com
-DOCS    = COPYING NEWS README TODO syslinux.doc keytab-lilo.doc
+DOCS    = COPYING NEWS README TODO *.doc
 OTHER   = Makefile bin2c.pl now.pl genstupid.pl keytab-lilo.pl version
 
 all:   $(BTARGET) $(ITARGET)

diff --git a/README b/README
index 615c411..d7c8831 100644 (file)
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 See the following files for documentation about SYSLINUX:
 
        syslinux.doc    - Usage instructions; manual.
+       distrib.doc     - For creators of Linux distributions.
        NEWS            - List of changes from previous releases.
        TODO            - About features planned for future releases.
        COPYING         - For the license terms of this software.

diff --git a/distrib.doc b/distrib.doc
new file mode 100644 (file)
index 0000000..e599d0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distrib.doc
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+For creators of Linux distributions:
+
+SYSLINUX is a notoriously hard program to debug, since it runs outside
+of any operating system, and has a tendency to expose BIOS and
+hardware bugs on various systems.  Therefore, I would appreciate if
+you would resist the temptation of recompiling the SYSLINUX bootloader
+itself (ldlinux.asm) if at all possible.  If you do that, I will have
+to refer any bug reports I receive back to the respective distributor.
+
+However, I have no such concerns about recompiling the installer
+programs, and in fact, with both libc 5 and libc 6 in common use in
+the Linux world today I understand if you wish to relink the
+Linux-based installer against your system version of libc.  Therefore
+a special makefile targets "make installer" has been included with the
+SYSLINUX distribution, starting with version 1.42.
+
+To rebuild the installer programs *only*, starting from a freshly
+untarred distribution copy of SYSLINUX, do:
+
+       make clean
+       make installer
+
+If you want to remove all intermediate files, including the ones
+obtained from assembling ldlinux.asm and which are included in the
+distribution, do "make spotless".
+
+I appreciate your assistance in this matter.
+
+       H. Peter Anvin
+

diff --git a/syslinux.doc b/syslinux.doc
index deee277..4b3d0d9 100644 (file)
--- a/syslinux.doc
+++ b/syslinux.doc
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
                               SYSLINUX
-                            Version 1.40
-                             May 7, 1998
+                            Version 1.42
+                          December 5, 1998
 
               A bootloader for Linux using MS-DOS floppies
 
@@ -462,6 +462,11 @@ I would appreciate hearing of any problems you have with SYSLINUX.  I
 would also like to hear from you if you have successfully used SYSLINUX,
 *especially* if you are using it for a distribution.
 
+If you are reporting problems, please include all possible information
+about your system and your BIOS; the vast majority of all problems
+reported turn out to be BIOS or hardware bugs, and I need as much
+information as possible in order to diagnose the problems.
+
 There is a mailing list for discussion among SYSLINUX users and for
 announcements of new and test versions.  To join, send a message to
 majordomo@linux.kernel.org with the line: