Re: We need easier installation.

[Ben Pfaff <pfaffben@pilot.msu.edu>]

Martin Alonso Soto <masoto@naoma.uniandes.edu.co> writes:

   Some days ago, David Engel proposed an idea that IMO is worth
   considering.  It consists in making interactivity in package scripts
   conditional by using an environment variable.  If the variable is not
   defined, the scripts will take their current behavior, i. e. asking
   all of the questions during the installation face.  If the variable is
   defined, the scripts will only try to leave the package in a stable
   state (not necessarily operational, though) without asking any
   questions.  New versions of dpkg/apt could start offering an option
   for defining this variable (or you could define it by hand) without
   breaking backwards compatibility.

I was thinking this morning that perhaps a good way to indicate to
package scripts that there is no user to answer questions is by
redirecting stdin from /dev/null.  Also that way a bored admin can
defer configuration by typing control-D at a prompt.
-- 
SIGSIGV: Sigmentation fault (core dumped)