Re: Some thoughts on a new installer
On Wed, 1 Nov 2000, Christoph Lameter wrote:
> The current installation system (including kernel) fits on a 2.88M Floppy
> image (CD Install) or two 1.4M disks. It would be great if the whole stuff
> could be installed from a single 1.4M disk.
> 1. The boot system starts and asks the user for novice or expert mode.
>
> 2. In novice mode the harddisk is automatically zapped, partitioned, made
> bootable without any additional fuss of questions. The installation system
> is copied to the harddisk and made bootable. Then the system either
> reboots into the installed system or is started in a chrooted environment.
But donot forget to add aggressive warning, what will happen to an already
existing system.
> Note the advantages:
>
> 1. No base system needed.
What doyou have against an base-system?
>
> 2. No udebs needed.
These are thought to make the first installer more modular. Can you achive
modularity with simpler means?
> 6. The detection of advanced hardware (such as video, mice etc) is
> not necessary via the initial boot system. The initial boot system just
> needs to provide one way to get to more .debs. Custom boot floppies could
> be made for special media.
And how do you get more .debs without checking the hardware? How do you
get some internet-protocoll without checkingfor network card e.g.
> Boot-floppies could be generated for a CD boot which do not need NIC or
> networking support.
Where do I understand this statement wrong, when I see no difference to
the current system?
> Floppy installs could be customized for an installation via the
> network. CD support eventually could be removed.
dito
> Maybe it would be possible to setup a minimal kernel/modules/basesystem on
> a 1.44 floppy that simply fdisks, formats and makes a hd bootable? And
> then it has the ability to get to a debian mirror and install something.
> Such a thing would be great to have.
And therefore .udebs are nice, as they made things more modular.
Hochachtungsvoll,
Bernhard R. Link
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