Anyone ever install RedHat. I started Linux on RedHat 4.1 because as a _new_ Linux user, all the choices, etc, invloved with dselect was too complicated. Then, I didn't know the difference between grep and ps, etc, etc, etc... The point I am trying to make is that it _must_ be simple and it _must not_ use dselect. Now that I know a little more about what I am doing, dselect is my best friend (next to dpkg). But then it was too much. (btw, i just want to note that, from experience with both, I would say that the Debian packaging system is much more advanced then the RedHat packaging system. for many reasons...but thats another subject.) I mention RedHat because the way they implement it make it very easy for a 100% brand new Linux/UNIX user to install Linux. While I don't want to take any of the power away from the Debian installation process, which I do like better as an experienced user, I would like to see it be a little easier for the new user. On to details. In the RedHat installation (at least as of 7-8 monthes ago) you get to a point where you choose what you want to install. A magic little menu pops up and you can choose yes/no for the different options. These include things such as "C/C++ Developement". "Web Server", etc. I would like to see a simple menu interface relatively similar to this for Debian. What I would suggest in this. After you finish installing from the disks, the computer rebooted, Linux was loaded, and you have chosen root password/user name/etc: instead of dselect being started, give the installer an option. It could look like this, as a rough image: >>> You now need to install the bulk of the software on your new Debian GNU/Linux system. You have a couple of choices: 1. Large Installation (approx. XXX MB required) 2. Medium Installation (approx. XXX MB required) 3. Small Installation (approx. XXX MB required) 4. Custom Installation (preselected group of packages based on needs) 5. Advancd Installation (go directly into dselect and choose for yourself) Choices 1-3 are recommended for new users, based on drive space availablity, choice 4 is recommended for more experienced Linux/UNIX users who are setting up systems with a specific need in mind, and choice 5 is recommended for experienced Debian users. Your Choice (1-5): <<< Anyways, that is just a general outline image of what I think we coul use having added. I vote we still make a typical section. I came up with the names, specific phrasing, etc, off the top of my head so I am sure it could be written somewhat better. However, the Large, Medium, Small, and Custom Installations would simply use dpkg/dselect as a backend to select and install all the packages, and so on. The Custom Installation would require an additional menu. Possibly ncurses related, or just text again. Anyways, it would have those options that RedHat gave. A line to select to install a basic web server package, a ftp server, a pop mail server, the C/C++ developement stuffs. etc, etc, etc... Choosing packages from here would simply be like choosing packages from the typical section. It would just avoid someone having to mess with/learn dselect. And now, if you have read this far, THANK YOU. Sorry for such a long post, it is just that I feel this would be an important improvement for Debian. I, like others I have heard comments from on the "RE: I intend to stand for...." thread, see many people choosing Debian over the other distributions. If a consensus of opinion develops on the list, I would like to volunteer to help organize/help with this project in any and all ways possible. > David Engel <david@sw.ods.com> writes: > > > We simply create a new section (let's call it "typical" for now) and > > populate it with dummy packages that don't contain any files but > > depend on the desired set of real packages. For example, we could > > have a "c-devel" package which depends on binutils, gcc and libc6-dev, > > or a "web-server" package which depends on apache and whatever else is > > needed. This approach has the additional advantage that dependencies > > for new packages could be easily added to the dummy packages and they > > would be automatically selected the next time the user upgrades. > > Your idea is reasonable and good, but I tihnk it misses the point of > haveing a typical installation available real easy. It's still a great > idea and please keep the idea alife. > > The Problem with your Idea, as i see it, is that it uses deselect. For > a typical easy installation the user might not want to read trough the > pages of help needed to use dselect. A Menudriven (like the install > menu) setup would be much easier to understand and use. The user could > place tags to the groups he would like and then hit install at the > bottom. Groups could be : > > 'Requiered x MB' (allways selected) > 'Most x Mb' (As much as work without conflicts and is reasonable for a home system.) > 'X x MB' (giveing a submenu to select the XServer on some architectures) > 'gcc x MB' > 'www/news/mail Browser x Mb' (There are so many, maybe its not a good idea) > ..... > > Most would also toggle all other groups. > There should not be to many groups or to many choices. People how need > more choice should use dselect (maybe with your idea in it). This > method should only be for first time installation of some basic thinks > the user would otherwise have to find manually in dselect (which is > hard to use first time). > > May the Source be with you. > Mrvn > > > -- > TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to > debian-devel-request@lists.debian.org . > Trouble? e-mail to templin@bucknell.edu . >
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