Re: Manually add firmware (or other) packages for installation?
On Sat 27 Feb 2021 at 19:22:24 +0100, Holger Wansing wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Brian Potkin <claremont102@gmail.com> wrote (Sat, 27 Feb 2021 16:54:01 +0000):
> > > +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. This may already
> > > + have been dealt with,
> >
> > Surely not "may" but "will".
>
> Sorry, I don't get your point here.
> Do you think, that the installer will surely do the needed things regarding firmware
> installation automatically?
As far as the firmware it knows about, yes. If it doesn't it is a
bug. That is why the sentence should read
This will already have been dealt with,
Whether it has been dealt with to your satisfaction is a different
matter.
> This is true for many hardware, but not true for graphics cards!
> Which is the reason for this patch.
I think I understand your concerns.
[...]
> > A duplication of what the installer already provides.
I'd have liked that addressed.
> > > + .
> > > + If you don't know what to enter, just leave it blank to not install any
> > > + additional packages.
> >
> > Have you thought of using tasksel to provide the installation of
> > non-free packages?
>
> Using tasksel for this would just allow to display one simple line for
> this topic ("Install firmware packages" or similar) and no possibility to
"Install non-free firmware packages" would be the option. Why should
it need more detail? The other entries aren't exactly locquacious.
> give more detailed description, what this is or why this is needed (and
> mention that this may need non-free).
> This all is what the patch does.
> And how to use tasksel: do you want to add a single task for every firmware
> package? How many entries for such tasks would that be?
A metapackage?
> Or do you want to add just one task, and install all firmware packages we have
> in Debian at once, no matter which hardware is in the PC?
Installing all firmware packages isn't unreasonable, surely? After
all, xorg installs all video drivers. Nobody has complained yet.
>
> No, I think using tasksel for this is not suitable.
How about early_command, late_command and pkgsel? These facilities
are already provided by the installer. Why are they not suitable?
--
Brian.
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