Where distribution of program binaries is feasible, it tends to make life simpler for those consuming it. In my experience, most end users of software don't build it from scratch these days, even on platforms where that used to be the norm such as Linux. While source code tends to compile to different binaries on different platforms, there's no reason for the zic output not to be made entirely portable (if indeed it isn't already) such that the binaries can just be distributed, with the source of the data also available straight from a git repository (or as a separate but less-widely-used) download.

Aside from reacting to that first sentence, any thoughts on the rest? I perhaps shouldn't have included that aspect at all in my previous mail, if it will detract from making more positive progress :(

Jon