Re: should floppy install be de-supported? (was: MSDOS name conversion)
On Tue, 13 Feb 1996, Michael E. Deisher wrote:
> [...]
> It looks like the REAL question here is "should Debian continue to
> support installation from floppies?" If not, then the msdos tree
> should be removed. This would eliminate the hassle for the
> distribution maintainers and the (apparent) annoyance of the
> well-connected, floppy-free majority. ;-)
Forgive me for butting in here (I haven't been following the `MSDOS name
conversion' thread), but I think this is a very bad road to follow. For
starters, surely we want more and more people to start using Linux? That
means people in their own homes who may not have other mahcines at work
&c, and probably won't have ethernet connections. Transferring most of
Debian via a telephone line would be very time-consuming and, for many
people, expensive. Also remember that the people most likely to go for a
distribution are those who aren't familiar enough with Unix/Linux to put
a system together themselves - excluding this sector would be a bad
move. Admittedly, CD-ROMs are becoming more and more common, but I think
depending on people having one is a mistake (I don't, for one).
On the other hand, why should this be done in such a way to annoy the
`well-connected, floppy-free majority'?
> If Debian is continue to support installation from floppies, then
> splitting files in the main binary tree is the way to go, IMO. But
> then, you already know that. :-)
See my last comment. Unless the problem of naming for MSDOS is REALLY
awkward (as I said, I haven't been following that thread), I can't agree
with you - you seem to be contradicting yourself to a certain extent, in
that you don't want the majority to be inconvenienced, and surely this
would have that effect?
Just my twopenny's worth :-) ...
Nikhil.
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