Re: Distribution and sales with preinstalled Linux on computers
Hi,
Lars Henrik Jensen wrote:
> Our customers want to buy computer with preinstalled Linux and I wish to
> know how I can do it right and devilery with a recovery DVD/CD or USB stick
> or a recovery partition on harddrive.
With questions about installation of Debian you are probably better off at
debian-user@lists.debian.org
If you install systems from a netinst ISO
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-cd/
then give a copy of it on CD to the customer. Some printed instructions might
help the user to get started with re-installation if ever necessary.
To comply with the software licences you should prepare yourself to answer
the question where to find the source code of software which you install.
(There must be better answers than downloading all source DVD images from
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/source/iso-dvd/
or
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/source/jigdo-dlbd/
in order to be able years later to give some lawyer a copy of them.
)
In any case you should give the customer a Debian Live DVD with the graphical
desktop which you make default on your computers. There are several for
choice at
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/
Debian Live will bring up quite some usable GNU/Linux without the need for
a permanent installation.
The Live images are referred to as "Live Install", but installing Debian from
them to hard disk is said to be error prone. (Testers are wanted, i guess.)
In order to enable re-installation without access to the internet, you
could do your installation from downloaded DVD or BD size ISOs and give
the customers copies of the needed media.
The first three DVD images are at
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/iso-dvd/
and usually suffice for an initial installation.
More DVD and BD sized ISOs are at
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-dvd/
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-bd/
https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/current/amd64/jigdo-dlbd/
The first "DLBD" ISO should really contain all that is needed and fit on a
64 GB USB stick.
All bootable Debian ISOs for 32-bit x86 ("i386") and 64-bit x86 ("amd64")
can be put on USB stick and will boot from there:
https://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#write-usb
(Program "Rufus" in its plain image copying mode "dd" is said to yield a
usable result on MS-Windows, too.)
> I have equipment to make cd's but no advanced to made with logo in colors
> and inlays and covers with nice colors at this moment.
At work i use a cheap Canon iP7250 printer to put text and graphics on
printable white media and to print double-sided booklets for the jewel cases.
It's not really photo quality on the media. So one should print lightly
colored graphics or restrict oneself to some lines of neatly printed text.
But it looks much more professional than hand writing with a marker pen.
Said this, there are graphic designs for CDs and booklets at
https://www.debian.org/CD/artwork/
Have a nice day :)
Thomas
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