Re: Install manual organization
> Chris Tillman <toff@Obsession.onshored.com> writes:
>
>> Here's my thinking about re-organization the manual along the lines
>> you proposed. We'll need much less space to talk about installation
>> source options without a base tarball or floppies.
>
> god knows that might come back, you know :)
>
Well with the reorganizations I'm making (sorry preview not ready yet),
it'll be easy to add back in if it happens. Basically I'm getting everything
into strictly sequential order, collecting duplicated tasks together where
possible, and minimizing forward references. I'm trying not to lose any real
content.
>> (delete) 5.2 Choosing the Right Installation Set
>
> That's pretty critical for i386, where we have "flavors". Most users
> will use the vanilla set, rather than the idepci or compact set.
>
I did see that was needed, it's in a better place now. I think it might be
good for other arches to explain some of their flavors too, although maybe
they're pretty self-explanatory.
>> (delete) 5.3 Installation Sources for Different Installation Stages
>> (new) Obtaining Operating System Installation Files
>> -- CD/ROM tco, Hard Disk download instructions
>
> Good, I like what you're doing here.
>
> I'm a bit concerned on where you put info for people dual booting,
> e.g., how you should do your DOS fdisk or MacOS partitioning for dual
> booting. Should clearly be in this chapter, no?
>
I put the dual-boot partitioning (calling it pre-partitioning to
differentiate from the Debian partitioning) right up front, the first thing
people have to do. Because that's really true. Might as well get that done
even before downloading the first byte of Debian.
>> 4 Booting the Installation System
>> 4.1 Booting from Diskettes
...
>> 4.9 ``Configure the Keyboard''
>> 4.10 Last Chance!
>
> Not bad. You're breaking up the dbootstrap stuff into many chapters,
> but I think that's not a bad idea.
>
>> 5 Partitioning Your Hard Drive and Initializing Partitions
>> 4.1 Background
>> 4.3 Device Names in Linux
>> 4.4 Recommended Partitioning Scheme
>> 4.5 Example Partitioning
>> delete -> 4.6 Partitioning Prior to Installation (we recommend
>> using Debian partitioning tools)
>
> Not always true! See the discussion Ethan and I had. See my comments
> above. We should have a dual-booting section, which links into the
> work folks did in chapter 3.
Got it. I have people using native tools for native partitions, Debian tools
for Debian partitions.
>
>> 7.6 ``Partition a Hard Disk''
>> 7.7 ``Initialize and Activate a Swap Partition''
>> 7.8 ``Initialize a Linux Partition''
>> 7.9 ``Mount a Previously-Initialized Partition''
>> 7.10 Mounting Partitions Not Supported by dbootstrap
>
> Good, I like this partitioning stuff as it's own chapter.
>
>> 6 (new chapter) 7.11 ``Install Operating System Kernel and Modules''
>> 7.12 ``Configure PCMCIA Support''
>> 7.13 ``Configure Device Driver Modules''
>> 7.14 ``Configure the Network''
>>
>> 7 (new chapter) 7.15 ``Install the Base System''
>> 7.16 ``Configure the Base System''
>> 7.17 ``Make Linux Bootable Directly From Hard Disk''
>> 7.18 ``Make a Boot Floppy''
>> 7.19 The Moment of Truth
>
> Not sure it makes sense to break this into *two* short chapters. Can
> you explain your thinking?
>
I thought Base should be separate from kernel stuff, I guess because they
are handled by different camps here. You may be right, if there's not enough
material to separate them they could go together.
>> 8 (new chapter) Base System Configuration
>> 7.20 Debian Post-Boot (Base) Configuration
>
> Should probably be entitled something like "Booting into Your New
> Debian GNU/Linux system".
>
I like your title, that's definitely a logical break booting into the new
system.
>> 8.4 Compiling a New Kernel
>
> See 81029 about some suggestions here. We should add info on
> configuring the mouse, configuring CD-ROM (if not already),
> configuring X11. These should each be new sections.
>
OK, perhaps you could copy me with the "Sysadmin Hints on Debian Linux", I
wasn't around then.
>> 9 Technical Information on the Debian Installer
>
> Thanks for working on this, Chris.
I'm enjoying it, hope the output has value-added over the input.
*----------------------------------------------------------------*
| .''`. | Debian GNU/Linux: <http://www.debian.org> |
| : :' : | debian-imac: <http://debian-imac.sourceforge.net> |
| `. `'` | . oo Chris Tillman |
| `- | ( -) tillman@azstarnet.com |
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