Re: Manually add firmware (or other) packages for installation?
Hi,
Justin B Rye <justin.byam.rye@gmail.com> wrote (Fri, 26 Feb 2021 20:07:18 +0000):
> Holger Wansing wrote:
> > There have been no complains, so I'm asking debian-l10n-english for a string
> > review of the attached strings now (in CC), and will push the result then soon.
>
> (I don't mind if this is wasted effort for text that won't be used.)
:-)
> > index c413e88e..fece0893 100644
> > --- a/debian/hw-detect.templates
> > +++ b/debian/hw-detect.templates
> > @@ -96,6 +96,29 @@ Type: text
> > # :sl1:
> > _Description: Checking for firmware...
> >
> > +Template: hw-detect/firmware_packages_to_install
> > +Type: string
> > +# :sl2:
> > +Description: Additional/firmware packages to be installed:
> > + Modern devices (like graphics cards or network devices) tend to need firmware
> > + blobs to be loaded onto the device, to be (fully) functional. Probably such
> > + firmware has already been installed during this installation, but there is
> > + a chance (especially for graphics cards) that this did not happen yet.
>
> There is such a thing as *free* firmware, but I'm going to assume that if
> that was what we were dealing with it wouldn't need any special handling,
> so you mean:
>
> Modern hardware (especially graphics cards or network devices) often needs
> to have nonfree firmware installed in order to be (fully) functional. This
> may already have been dealt with, but if not the firmware can be installed
> at this stage.
Yes, a bit shorter and clearer.
> > + .
> > + If you know you have such hardware in your system, you can enter the needed
> > + firmware packages here for installation.
> > + .
> > + For AMD/ATI cards you might want to install "firmware-amd-graphics", for
> > + Intel or Nvidia "firmware-misc-nonfree". Be aware that you will need to have
> > + "non-free" package sources activated for this!
>
> Wouldn't it be clearer to put that last part in with the "if"?
>
> If you know your hardware requires this, and you have enabled "non-free"
> package sources, you can list firmware packages here to have them installed.
> For AMD/ATI graphics cards you might want to install "firmware-amd-graphics";
> for Intel or Nvidia, "firmware-misc-nonfree".
Ok.
> But what exactly is the context here? If it hasn't happened already, does
> that imply they weren't available on the installer itself and need to be
> downloaded? If the user has already had a chance to configure network APT
> sources, it no longer matters whether the installer itself includes
> non-free, unless of course they were hoping to download wifi firmware...
The point is:
the current installer is unable to detect, if you have a graphics card, which
driver requires nonfree firmware! So, even if you use some of the non-free
installation images with included firmware packages, the installer - as it is
now - will NOT install firmware for your graphics card.
In the worst case, the system will then be unable to display anything in X,
no login screen, nothing.
What will users assume then, what happened?
"My system hangs when booting!" or "My system cannot display anything via
my graphics card. Is the graphics driver broken?" or similar...
>
> > + .
> > + Please note, that you can also use this dialog for installation of any other
> > + additional packages you want to have installed, not just firmware. Package
> > + names need to be space-separated.
> > + .
> > + If you don't know what to enter, just leave it blank to not install any
> > + additional packages.
> > +
>
> Or just:
>
> This dialog can also be used to install non-firmware packages, or left
> blank to do nothing. Package names must be space-separated.
It's not clear enough to me, what's meant here with such formulation. It's much
shorter, but this way it tends to confuse the user, I fear.
Holger
--
Holger Wansing <hwansing@mailbox.org>
PGP-Fingerprint: 496A C6E8 1442 4B34 8508 3529 59F1 87CA 156E B076
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