Re: Linux Distribution Chooser

[Richard Lyons <richard@the-place.net>]

On Sunday,  8 January 2006 at 21:13:17 -0500, Joey Hess wrote:
> Angus Mackenzie wrote:
> > The Tasksel stage of the installer could indeed make life easier for the 
> > neophyte. It could strongly advise them to install a desktop environment by 
> > default and make the choice of a console an option for those who Know What 
> > They Are Doing, as I do 7 or 8 machines later.
> 
> tasksel in etch uses heuristics to automatically default the desktop task
> on, if the system looks like one that would reasonably run it. Leaving
> the details out, here's the basic logic used:
> 
> if ! enough_ram || ! enough_disk; then
>         unmark
> fi
> 
> if desktop_hardware; then
>         mark
> fi
> 
> if unlikely_desktop_architecture; then
>         unmark
> elif common_desktop_architecture; then
>         # XXX further heuristics here to avoid selecting the task on
>         # high-end hardware that's intended to be used as a server.
>         # For example, if it has two NICs with link, it's probably a
>         # server. If it's rackmountable, a server, etc.
>  
>         mark # probably a desktop ...
> else
>         # XXX further heuristics here
>         :
> fi
> 
> unmark

Oh, that's neat.  I hadn't noticed that on the etch install I did
recently, but it is neat.  I still think this step is so important for
the neophyte, and so easy to skip past without full consideration that
it would be worth labouring it a little.  For example, suppose tastsel
were split into two stages, with four screens (I am writing this with
only a hazy recollection of what was in the installer the last three
times I raced through it not bothering to read anything, so some of this
is probably there anyway):

    1 Clear explanation page that "you are about to decide whether you
    get a graphic user interface (like doze, mac, etc) or just a command
    line."  [another paragraph to explain that if the GUI doesn't work
    beginners may need to seek help to get configured]  If you want to
    be working with a mouse and icons, be sure to leave 'desktop
    evironment' selected.

    2 select desktop env.

    3 Brief explanation of meaning of other options (in context of
    stand-alone home computer).  Explanation that these options can be
    added easily afterwards [I recollect that is there anyway].

    4 select other tasksel options.

The point being that the first option is critical for a neophyte, and I
suspect many do not realize that.

-- 
richard
> 
> 
> -- 
> see shy jo