Re: CD/DVD clarification suggestion on download page

[Josip Rodin <joy@entuzijast.net>]

On Wed, Nov 14, 2007 at 03:49:24AM -0800, David de Hilario Richards wrote:
> When I downloaded the DVD images on the url below I thought that I needed
> to download all 3 DVDs in order to install Debian etch. It seems that I
> was mistaken and only the 1st DVD is needed for the default install.
> 
> I think that this puts off many people which think that they need to
> download 13GB worth of DVDs when only the first is really needed.

> http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/debian-installer/

This is supporting my earlier comments about /distrib/ and
/distrib/netinst... we went from too much obfuscation to too
little explanation :)

I think we should modify /distrib/ so that it doesn't just link to
the megalomanic d-i dl page, but instead it should go like:

* one item describing installations *without* network access, meaning:
  /CD/http-ftp/ + /CD/torrent-cd/ + /CD/jigdo-cd/ [1]
* one item for installations *with* network access
  link to /distrib/netinst/

[1] This looks like a reiteration of /distrib/cd, but when done in the
/distrib/ page, it won't be adding an extra step, which was why
this was reverted over two years ago in
http://cvs.debian.org/webwml/english/distrib/cd.wml?root=webwml&r1=1.5&r2=1.6&diff_format=h

At the same time, we have two different approaches. The /distrib/ page
needs to enable people to quickly get to a fair option.
The /CD/ pages weren't designed for that, they were designed so that
they present the entirety of options.
So, that would need to be fixed up.

* The http-ftp page concentrates on various options, and mirrors.
  For /distrib/, we just need a direct link to the stable CD/DVD images,
  linking /debian-cd/ directories is a bad idea (it leads to users wandering
  around). Links to mirrors are a secondary matter, because cdimage.d.o
  can usually take the beating.

* The torrent-cd page is better, it links directly to the directories of
  4.0_r1 etc. For /distrib/, we just need it to warn against downloading
  anything more than the first CD/DVD in any set. Or maybe just make it
  link just the first file.

* The jigdo-cd page looks like a lost cause to me... it may even be
  inappropriate for /distrib/ linkage, because it's not nearly as
  straightforward as other options. It's similar to netboot.

-- 
     2. That which causes joy or happiness.