Hi Michael Ole, Quoting Michael Ole Olsen (2014-11-14 00:19:36) > It would be very cool if the debian installer had a listofpackages.txt > > and that listofpackages.txt could be edited by the user > > then we would be getting customized debian installs A list of _all_ packages would be too inflexible (would only be useful for installing *exactly* same set of packages again, not a newer release of Debian nor e.g. systems needing different hardware aid packages). > some people would edit and tell it to auto install: > - zsh > - lilo instead of grub > - lukssetup (crypt thing) > - ext3 instead of ext4 > - Xfree86 instead of Xorg > - systemX instead of systemY This part is already supported by debian-installer: dpkg-query -l 'task-*' Above command (or other more refined ones targeting same pattern) invoked right after end of install provides you the "tasks" that was installed, either as explicit choice or automatic defaults. Sure those tasks don't cover the exact areas that you list above, but the _mechanism_ exists - inviting you and anyone else to collaborate with the debian-installer team to improve it. If you cannot contribute with actual code, then you can suggest your wishlist of tasks to others - ideally on a wiki page instead of only by email :-) > of course there is debootstrap too, but it would be cool if the debian > installer could be made like this too just dragdrop a list of > installpackages.txt into base of debian install CD What you describe here is what some of us are working on as the term "Debian Pure Blend", and your method - install one system, dump list of installed packages, and use that as [starting point for refining] a reusable "system profile" sounds quite similar to how my plans for the "Boxer" tool which I recently added to Debian: With Boxer you(r geeky friend) defines a set of classes - like the current task-* metapackages or maybe more finegrained - and then you(r less geeky friends) can create recipes from those classes to either feed debian-installer or execute as a shell script after installation (for e.g. virtual hosts with root access but bootstrapped differently than using debian-installer). A future goal of Boxer is to abstract further so that non-geeky use is to point Boxer to your profile at Facebook (or a decentralized equivalent that includes a FOAF profile) and suggest classes to enable based on your topics of interest. My social profile would tell that I speak danish, english and german, and that I like Midnight Commander, travelling by train and geocaching - yours would be different, leading to a different Debian installation better tailored you. :-) > we would be getting : > debian-simplified > debian-for-sysadms > debian-for-geeks > debian-for-lilousers > debian-for-sysV-users > > and many more custom installers (custompackage lists in wikis) Just as the defaults of Debian, Debian Pure Blends are inherently subjective, as is your sample blends above: what does "simplified" imply? Do "geeks" imply LILO or not? Do "lilousers" imply geeks or not? Have a look at the metapackages for debian-for-schools (debian-edu-*), debian-for-kids (junior-*), debian-for-chemists (schience-chemistry) etc. to learn which choices the developers of those blends made. Have a look at the recent metapackages for debian-for-designers (design-desktop-*) and debian-for-parliamentarians (parl-desktop-*), and inspect their source packages for which Boxer classes they include. do a "git clone git://anonscm.debian.org/boxer/boxer-data" and check if the recent classes added cover your needs - and suggest additions at <boxer-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>. I warmly recommend to discuss further at the Debian Pure Blend Team list, and have already Cc'ed that list and hinted at replying there. Regards, - Jonas -- * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt * Tlf.: +45 40843136 Website: http://dr.jones.dk/ [x] quote me freely [ ] ask before reusing [ ] keep private
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