Re: A project to provide a nicer GUI for installing debian ?
"Geoff Brimhall" <gbrimhall@Rational.Com> writes:
> I've noticed that there is the diety project to make installing packages more user friendly.
>
> I'm not familiar with all that this does, but does it include a better GUI for doing an initial install of debian ?
The Dragon tools where developed for Eagle Linux m68k, a Debian based
Distribution. Those are ment for initial installation and all time
configurations. Currently only a dialog interface is present, but a X
and http interface are under construction. The interface will
automatically detect what display method (X, console, http) to use and
provide a very easy way of using that even from shell
scripts. Basically the gui must provide the functionality of dialog
for X, console and http. That is planned for V1.0, after that more
complex GUI layouts will be implemented. Have a look at
ftp://mirjam.informatik.uni-tuebingen.de/pub/dragon/
to see what Dragon tools can do at the moment.
You might have to replace the lxdialog included in the package with
the one from /usr/src/linux/scrips/lxdialog/, because you meight have
a different ncurses.
> I'm new to trying out debian (ie no PGP key), and the previous Linux distribution that I used the most was the SuSE, which I did like a bit better than the installation that debian has.
> However, my wishlist is to see an installation that is more snazzy -
> aka Micrsoft's installation. Is there a project in debian to
> implement something like this ?
As soon as the X Gui is up an installation using a lifefilesystem on
CD and X is planed. Implementing a Winlike look&feel should not be to
hard with that and something similar is wished by Eagle.
> If not, since this is linux and if a person states a wishlist, this
> usually implies a nomination to get it going, I was wondering if the
> X-vga16 driver could be kicked up automatically from the boot kernel
> that comes with the boot disks. I *think* (I'm not sure about this
> though, so any comments appreciated) this would allow building a
> gtk-statically-linked install program that could have cooler
> graphics, and hopefully be more automated.
Most install programms are scripts and an interface that can be used
via scripts is needed, or rewriting the complete installation
procedure. The GUI for Dragon will provide such an interface eigther
via pipes or sockets.
> All this to allow a non-technical person to install linux, aka my
> mother. (I figure non-technical mother's are probably the best test
> group to see if a product is easy enough to install).
> Thanks for any comments !
> Geoff Brimhall
The first previews and snapshots of the GUI for the Dragon tools will
come soon. If your intrested in writing some nicer install procedure
or some configuration programm for some aspect of Unix, you could join
the effort. Same if you want to contribute to the gui. Any help is welcome.
May the Source be with you.
Mrvn
PS: The Dragon Tools and the GUI will be GPL
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