Hello,
I would like to make two improvement suggestions for the "software selection"
step [1] during the installation setup using the GUI or TUI installer.
In the installation guide [2] it is called "6.3.5.2. Selecting and Installing
Software".
[1] Screenshot: http://wiki.debianforum.de/wiki/images/1/1e/Debian8Software.png
[2] https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/ch06s03.html.en#di-install-software
1 AIMS
1.1 improve the usability for more inexperienced users.
1.2 reduce unnecessary downloads --> save money
2 OVERVIEW
These are the choosable options (debian package names in round brackets):
[option 1] Debian desktop environment (task-desktop)
[option 2] ... GNOME (task-gnome-desktop)
[option 3] ... Xfce (task-xfce-desktop)
[option 4] ... KDE (task-kde-desktop)
[option 5] ... Cinnamon (task-cinnamon-desktop)
[option 6] ... MATE (task-mate-desktop)
[option 7] ... LXDE (task-lxde-desktop)
[option 8] web server (task-web-server)
[option 9] print server (task-print-server)
[option 10] SSH server (task-ssh-server)
[option 11] laptop (task-laptop)
[option 12] standard system utilities ([3])
[3] "The standard task is a special task used by Debian Installer. It actually
relies on the packages' priority."
https://wiki.debian.org/tasksel#A.22standard.22_task
3 IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTION 1: DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT
3.1 If the user wants to install the GNOME desktop it is not clear if he should
choose [option 1] (because the standard desktop of debian is GNOME) or
[option 2], or both.
3.2 If the user wants to install another desktop than GNOME it is not clear
whether he should select or deselect [option 1].
3.3 Suggestion: Erase [option 1]. (task-gnome-desktop depends on task-desktop [4])
[4] https://packages.debian.org/jessie/task-gnome-desktop
4 IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTION 2: RECOMMENDED PACKAGES
4.1 Some users do not expect getting e.g. LibreOffice, GIMP and Inkscape when
only choosing [option 1] (or any other desktop environment).
4.1.1 Suggestion: Make some popular applications with big file sizes, like
LibreOffice, GIMP, Inkscape, etc. manually selectable by giving each of them an
extra [option] or summarizing them in groups like ["office"] and ["creative"].
4.1.2 Alternative suggestion: Change the priority of the LibreOffice- and
GIMP-packages in "task-gnome-desktop" from recommended to suggested.
5 DRAFT
I've modified a screenshot of the current software selection screen to
visualize my suggestions:
http://wiki.debianforum.de/wiki/images/8/83/DebInstaller_softwareSelection_draft.png
This is what I've changed:
- sorted the choices into three categories (desktop environment,
additional software, daemons)
- added explanations of what each option contains / is used for
- added "installation recommended" evidence at the bottom
- added "view all packages" button, clicking it would show a list of all
packages which can be selected for installation.
The user could select and deselect packages by clicking on a checkbox icon
and show all sub-packages of a task package by clicking on a + icon.
Example:
[ ] [+] task-desktop
[*] [-] task-gnome-desktop
... [*] gnome-core
... [*] task-desktop
... [*] tasksel
etc.
[ ] [+] task-xfce-desktop
[ ] [+] task-kde-desktop
[ ] [+] task-cinnamon-desktop
[ ] [+] task-mate-desktop
[ ] [+] task-lxde-desktop
[ ] [+] task-web-server
[ ] [+] task-print-server
[ ] [+] task-ssh-server
[ ] [+] task-laptop
[ ] [+] standard
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6. DISCLAIMER
6.1 I do know that there are ways to achieve a minimal installation of debian.
6.2 I do know about the existance of debian pure blends.
6.3 I do know that it is possible to tell apt-get not to install recommended
packages.
6.4 I do know that the "task-desktop" package recommends the
"task-gnome-desktop" package.
6.5 I appreciate your work on the installer. I think it was a good decision
to move the desktop-selection from "advanced options" (Wheezy) into the
installation process (Jessie).