Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 13:03:56 -0700 From: Donald Wilde <dwilde1@thuntek.net> To: Bill Swingle <unfurl@dub.net> Cc: advocacy@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: FreeBSD Advocacy Message-ID: <370522AC.88DD73C2@thuntek.net> References: <11742.923052372@zippy.cdrom.com> <3704B684.9C55D77A@thuntek.net> <3704EB36.708A399B@naxs.com> <3704F2FD.F1FE13BC@thuntek.net> <19990402085354.B58046@dub.net> <3704FB5B.6DFE8E9F@thuntek.net> <19990402092837.A58819@dub.net>
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Bill Swingle wrote: > > On Fri, Apr 02, 1999 at 10:16:11AM -0700, Donald Wilde wrote: > > Bill Swingle wrote: > > > > > I totally agree with the previously said benefits of some sort of > > > promotional disk. That said, I think it is important that, while > > > impressing the user and showing them the benefits of FreeBSD, the disk > > > should not misrepresent what an actual FreeBSD install is like > > > after-the-fact. I like the apache idea for the demo disk but it doesnt > > > seem like the kind of thing that we would want in a _real_ install. Just > > > imagine the user running the demo, getting excited about FreeBSD, then > > > doing a real install and running into twm. Ugh. > > > > And that's another thing I'd like to see changed. Bob wanted to talk > > about improvements to the install process, and we'd like to see another > > layer of menu after "Congrats! You've now got FreeBSD installed..." that > > would allow them to select from some preconfigured installs including a > > few different desktops, a webserver, a SAMBA server, etc. or simply > > ignore all of those and jump right into the packages and ports stuff. > > This can all be done with scripts that call pkg_add and drop config > > files (.xinitrc and .fvwmrc, for example) into their home directories. > > As long as we stay away from OPTIMIZING X Windows for their graphics > > card, we can make decent installs without having to do any probing. > > I think this is a great idea but as Jordan will be quick to acuratly point > out, we've talked about this before but nothing has happened. Therefore, > I am volunteering myself to work on such a project. Anyone else > interested in working on such a project? (seriously) > I also believe this is an _essential_ tool for advocacy. I believe I can get Bob to commit to making a lot of thousands of CD's if we can give him the burnable image before LinuxWorld, which is August 9-12th. Let's set a target "drop-dead-it-better-work" date of June 30. If we can't get it done by then, I'll have to pull my nose in and admit that Jordan's right. He's got me... ummm, "irritated"... enough to prove him wrong. However, emotions aside, this would be a killer advertisement for FreeBSD, and I don't think it has to be as technically difficult as has been implied. As long as we stay away from the MS-DOS filesystem except with Mtools, and carefully examine the things we can cull from the distribution, we'll have _plenty_ of room on one CD. The "live filesystem" CD has only 488M filled, and that's including the CVS repository and all the basic system sources. I'd like to leave the sources there, and add a hyperlink system like Forrest Cavalier's http://www.mibsoftware.com/reuse/ website to enhance the documentation. I'll put together a 'strawman' of what I see as needed capabilities and strategies for accomplishing them, and post it on my webpages for everybody to shoot holes in.... err, enhance. :-) > > It's important that we consider any "improvements" we make from the > > perspective of the SysAdmin user as well as Joe LinWin. We don't want to > > make it harder for him to do his job, but adding more options doesn't > > impact him unless we overrun the CD. > > If is is implemented in a way that SysAdmin types can write their own > default pkg_add scripts and execute them from the proposed menu it might > even help out those sysadmins that do regular installs. How? Pull them off a floppy via mcopy? It's easy enough to install scripts for the second go-round of /stand/sysinstall, but what about the first? How do you do it without dropping out, defeating the purpose? > > > Since this is just a few K of > > scriptwork except for programs like Netscape, we're not in danger of > > that. Worst comes to worst, we'll have an 'insert CD #3' message dialog > > for programs that don't exist on CD #1. > > I would say this is acceptable accept it kinda blows the whole "first > disk is mostly self-contained" deal. > See above. > > I'd like to see a preconfigured disk-install, too, that would be even > > more brainless than the existing Novice install. > > I'm not sure I get your drift, can you ellaborate? What do you mean by > disk-install? > The 'novice' install still asks questions and makes knowledge assumptions a newbie will not know. Bob suggested we rename the 'novice' install to 'experienced user' and make a new 'beginner' install that does everything for you as far as disk partitioning and basic distribution loading. > -- Don Wilde "Bringing the Internet to everyone!" Wilde Media 1380 Rio Rancho Blvd. SE #117 voice: 505-771-0709 Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124 e-mail: dwilde1@thuntek.net To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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