Bug#282638: installation-reports

[Bob Parnes <rparnes@megalink.net>]

Package: installation-reports

Debian-installer-version: pre-rc2, 11/20/04, www.debian.org
uname -a:
  Linux grape 2.4.27-1-386 #1 Fri Sep 3 06:24:46 UTC 2004 i686 GNU/Linux
Date: Nov 22, 2004, 10 AM
Method: cdrom containing installer pre-rc2 downloaded from www.debian.org

Machine: homebuilt mini-ITX, shuttle MV42 motherboard
Processor: celeron 1.8 GB
Memory: 512 MB
Root Device: IDE, /dev/hda, Quantum 25 GB
Root Size/partition table: output from fdisk
            Boot Start  End   Blocks   Id  System
  /dev/hda1  *      1  1747  14032746  83  Linux
  /dev/hda2      1748  1826   6345674   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
  /dev/hda3      1748  1826   6345674  82  Linux Swap

Output of lspci and lspci -n: Computer has no floppy drive, no easy way to show
  lspci. Let me know if it is essential, and I'll copy by hand. The installer
  did detect the network card and the modem.

Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Initial boot worked:    [O]
Configure network HW:   [O]
Config network:         [O]
Detect CD:              [O]
Load installer modules: [O]
Detect hard drives:     [O]
Partition hard drives:  [O]
Create file systems:    [O]
Mount partitions:       [O]
Install base system:    [O]
Install boot loader:    [O]
Reboot:                 [O]

Comments/Problems: Smoothest installation yet. The only problem was that 
I could not do anything without reverting to my old woody CDs: I have a 
dialup connection to the internet and could find no way to set it up, in 
order to connect and download packages; the installer seems to assume that 
the computer is permanently connected.

You might consider adding wvdial and maybe sources.list samples
to the installer iso. The installer did detect the modem, so doing the
little extra necessary to configure a dialup connection should be routine.

As a wish-list, I would like to see an installer having an option suited to 
a single-computer workstation with a dialup connection. I would be willing
to help, although my skills are limited to planning and documentation.
My experience as a new user was mainly concern over dealing with exim, mutt,
and fetchmail to get the mail configuration right. For the average home user
who is not confident of what he is doing, a few default settings, together 
with appropriate dialogs, should be enough to set up usable configuration 
files.




-- 
Bob Parnes
rparnes@megalink.net