Bug#412922: please generate win32-loader.ini "manifest" file

[Robert Millan <rmh@aybabtu.com>]

On Mon, Jun 04, 2007 at 11:44:10AM +0200, Robert Millan wrote:
> > if the CD is 
> > inserted, _increases_ our "responsibility" if the user should fail to 
> > read (or probably more importantly: understand) any of the warnings 
> > about "erasing your harddisk and losing existing data".
> > 
> > The fact that actually starting an install stills involve a reboot, is not 
> > a real safeguard as installing almost anything interesting on Windows 
> > requires a reboot anyway.
> > 
> > The fact that currently the installer needs to be booted completely 
> > separately, at least makes absolutely clear to even the most clueless 
> > Windows user that Debian is not some Windows proggie that can "just be 
> > tried" (as running random Windows proggies is of course always "safe", 
> > right?).
> > 
> > I could probably be convinced to include this on CD images if the patch 
> > would not start your loader, but would open a modified README.html that 
> > has an extensive explanation of what Debian is and only contains a link 
> > to the loader itself.
> > This would however increase the need for translation of the README.html 
> > (which is a worthwhile goal for debian-cd anyway).
> > 
> > The same would go for USB keystick, but I am not sure if this should be 
> > included in other installation methods.
> 
> I agree that these concerns are important.  Perhaps a good solution would be
> to add enormous warnings (maybe even interactive warnings similar to the
> well-known "Yes, do as I say!").
> 
> Anyway, at the moment I'm not yet proposing to put this in the default CD,
> just to make it easy for users to build their custom CDs with win32-loader
> (which is currently awkward since you have to know win32-loader.ini format
> spec).  I think for the kind of user who builds her own CD, it's safe to
> assume when this CD is used in a Windows box, someone who is not completely
> clueless about what an OS is will be around.

So, is win32-loader.ini generation (alone, without generating autorun.inf!)
ok at this point ?

We can talk about autorun.inf later if you like.

-- 
Robert Millan

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