Re: Hurd CDs

[Philip Charles <philipc@copyleft.co.nz>]

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009, Michael Banck wrote:


> After reading your description, I am not sure this is the best
> approach. Ultimately, we should look at getting debian-installer ported
> to GNU/Hurd.  If you can make what you describe happen without a lot of
> effort, that would be great of course.  But putting a lot of effort
> into something which does not lead towards debian-installer is not
> something I personally consider worthwhile.

When I started producing the discs in 2000, d-i was much simpler and the 
route I chose would have lead to an official installation disc set.
I continued producing sets on the basis that they were useful and acted as 
mile-stones in the development process.  Going by comments made, these are 
still useful functions.

However, an official installer should be the ultimate objective.
There are three components to the installer.
1. udebs     there are a number in the official archive, but are there
			enough?
2. A bootable kernel/Hurd that will load an initrd.
3. A Hurd initrd.

If the original route was to be followed the (2) would be developed and 
some understanding of (3) would be gathered.

It would be possible to jump straight into the D-I.  The way I would go 
about this would be to build Linux installers to become familiar with the 
process, and then ...  I have looked carefully at the D-I documentation 
and did not get very far.

>
> Unfortunately, it looks like nobody currently has the time or
> motivation to look into d-i, maybe identifying the major issues would
> be a good first step as well.  Also note that d-i got ported to Debian
> GNU/kFreeBSD recently (no public release of that yet, I think), so
> porting to the Hurd might be easier now.

I don't think that one person can do all that is needed.  However, we do 
have about five-six of us who have some interest in this project.

Worth looking at.
http://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller

Phil.

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