Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 20:10:20 +0100 (CET) From: Mikael Karpberg <karpen@ocean.campus.luth.se> To: AdamT@smginc.com (Adam Turoff) Cc: mike@smith.net.au, kpielorz@tdx.co.uk, hackers@FreeBSD.ORG, config@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: FreeBSD updated Installation / Adminsitration Kit Message-ID: <199802011910.UAA15937@ocean.campus.luth.se> In-Reply-To: <34D25FB6@smginc.com> from Adam Turoff at "Jan 30, 98 03:19:00 pm"
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According to Adam Turoff: > > > 3. We write something that tries to accomplish both the above, > > > hopefully not causing too many compromises. > > > > This would be a major layering mistake. > > I don't know about that. There are two interrelated issues here, as you > point out. First, we need a virgin installer to get FreeBSD on new > hardware. > That should leave a system that can be admined by something more > friendly than cryptic UNIX commands documented over $100 worth > of O'Reilly titles. THAT will help evangelize FreeBSD IMNSHO. Ok... I can't shut up. Here's my fantasy (kinda long). Enjoy! It should be a completely text based installer, much like the current one. There is no need for anything fancier. It should, however, be redesigned a little. I think it would be nice if the installer allowed you to set exactly one "configure thing". The keyboard setting. That should be asked for first thing, without having to be found in a meny. Then it should continue to ask user which kind of install to do. Have an "install" and one "advanced install" button. Choose install, and you get to read some documentation (not to long so people don't care to read it, but with a "tell me more" button), and then choose "normal, express, custom". Generally treat the user gently, and don't assume he knows strange words like "mount point". Take him through an install of the type we have today, but improved where possible. Give lots of recomendations. Choose "advanced install", and get the "ok, you know what you're doing, so help yourself" kind of thing that the current sysinstall provides with it's "custom" choise. In both these cases, let the user choose disks, and label them, set up ethernet/ppp/cdrom/whatever, and then start installing. When done, ask user to remove floppy, FreeBSD will reboot. It should now and run the generic system configuring utility (with option -FirstTime, for "Welcome to your new FreeBSD system. It's time to frob some knobs" message.) on ttyv0 instead of the login prompt. Also while loading kernel, have a nice splashscreen with a welcome pic, and a text like "press ESC to see probing messages", or whatever, down in a corner somewhere. The other virtual screens should be available with a login prompt where you could log in as root without password, so that people like us that's been there before can go in and do stuff on the side. Here you are able to set most things you will want to set, preferably even here with a special "advanced" choise, or having "advanced" choises for each thing you do, where it's needed (just like Win95 does it). Then you select "configuration done", and FreeBSD reboots, comes up again with "the real" splash image, and after booting, displays login prompt. This would allow for more free space on the boot floppy, for more drivers (preferably dynamically loaded in the future for small memory footprint) and more space for other stuff (ppp's libs? :-). Also it would allow for the system config even the first time to be pretty nice, since it can contain any amount of bloat needed. The system is already installed and running when you get to that point. So... Comments on this, anyone? :-) /Mikael
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