Re: Configuring sources.list during install: idea
> > Another idea was a little bit more complicated: instead of entering
> > the URL by yourself you could add automatic configuration as one
> > possibility, just like wpad proxy configuration proposal. We could
> > simply support one type of DNS record for this, nothing as fancy as
> > WPAD which defines multiple protocols and options.
> > So, for example in our network I could simply add a DNS record
> > apt-source-potato 3600 IN TXT "http://potato.domain.com/sources.list";
> Maybe better in a dhcp record?
Yes and no.
If you are using dynamic pools for DHCP this is ok. There is actually
no difference except that
- DHCP-based configuration must be
a) unique for an ip-address (MAC-based)
b) global for a subnet
c) global for a dynamic pool
- If you don't use DHCP for a host you're out of luck (I don't care
about option 'if you don't configure networking you're out of luck ;-)
but if DNS is available this service will be available and if DNS
is NOT available you could still enter URL with IP to the other
configuration field.
Practically, there is no real difference between using DHCP or DNS
here, TXT records in DNS are just so generic solution that I like it,
it could be as well SRV (service) record or whatever you want. My
point was
- define it one, as universally available solution as we can
- implement that solution
- add new hooks if needed, like SRV or DHCP dynamic strings
In my opinion there just is no point having multiple ways to do this
trivial task. Actually, if there is any alternative way to tell the
installer to use automatically an URL for sources.list, which I haven't
thought about I'll be happy with it and implement that task in our
networks. I prefer DNS because it's at least usable almost anywhere
unlike for example NIS or LDAP.
Another question (which probably will bury deeply to the list ;-)
is what are current plans for developing a solution to install
some kind of standard debian system, at different levels: Levels
could be
- same packages, preset from .. somewhere
- same packages, same configuration (like what services are running,
what are the NFS/SMB mount points e.a., this needs proper debconf
infrastructure I think to be really useful so it's still far away)
- same packages, same configuration, same partitioning
(sizes, fs-types e.a.)
- same packages, same partitioning (sizes, fs-types e.a.), same
hardware (X-configuration, sound configuration
I think all these tasks _are_ in future plans for debian but I've
been in BSD world for a while and have dropped from debian development
status. Actually, these tasks are something I'd like to contribute to
debian...
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