Re: [custom] Custom Debian Distros need the help from debian developers
On Tue, 9 Mar 2004, Benj. Mako Hill wrote:
> The way I see it, CDDs have two major problems: custom package
> selection and custom package configuration. This thread has already
> talked about custom package configuration in regards to pre-seeding low
> priority (or even unasked) debconf questions. IMHO, custom package
> selection (the problem that #186085 seems to be addressing) is an
> easier and less pressing problem.
You are right that it is not a *technical* problem. IMHO it is more
a kind of *advertising* problem. Everytime when I'm sitting on
Exhibition boothes I'm asked: "When will Debian-med be released."
My answer was, some meta packages are just contained in Debian Woody
but in Sarge you will find it on the very first task selection screen
as it is the case for Debian-Junior. We pronounced that Debian-Junior
was *released* with Woody. So how would you measure a *release* inside
Debian. We want to focus our releases to *users*. So why should we
hide thoses things from users. Or even worse if users see Debian-Junior
in the tasksel list the think:
"Well, there is one Custom Debian Distribution listed here and if there
are no others listed no others are available."
There is no rationale to hide things which are important for our users.
May be tasksel is not the right interface here - OK. But we *need* an
interface at the very beginning of the installation process to show our
users *all* options they have.
> Basically, if we're going to pre-seed debconf databases, we're going to
> be using a (slightly) tweaked installer. If we're going be tweaking
> the installer, as part of a full CD or not, we might as well feed the
> custom package the package selection!
This can be done on a special CDD CD. But if we release a Debian stable
all options for a user should be presented in a apropriate way. As long
as we distribute Debian in the way we did in the past we have to find
a solution here.
> Clicking on that item in tasksel is not only not going to be what I
> think is the major way people will install CDDs (or at least
> Debian-NP). More importantly it will not let get us any closer to do
> the custom configuration issues that are really the bulk of the work
> we're doing unless we rethink taskel.
Well, rethink tasksel is a valid option.
> Sure. I think it's a nice idea. Of course, automatically creating the
> CDs is going to have to come after we have a fully documented
> non-automatic framework that is some-what consistently adopted. :) We
> are still a good deal away from this. :)
Unfortunately yes.
Kind regards
Andreas.
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