[Gllug] Debian

[itsbruce at uklinux.net]

On Mon, Oct 20, 2003 at 12:27:16PM +0100, will wrote:
> OK, from a purely functional point of view it works, there isn't a 
> problem with it from that point of view, I didn't say it didn't work.

I don't agree with you there.  The installer could be more functional.
There are a range of configuration options (LVM, journalling
filesystems, RAID) that were exotic when the current Debian installer
was designed but are almost universal now.  

The irony is, the basic design of the Debian installer makes it
potentially very good and flexible.  Unlike most other installers, it
installs your basic system and then boots you into that system, from
which position you then make higher-level configuration choices.  This
opens the possiblity of making configuration choices at the first
(pre-reboot) stage that aren't supported by the installer kernel but
which can be implemented by the kernel you choose to install, in the
second stage.  Alternatively, the second-stage installer could offer
different options depending on which kernel-image you had decided to
install (i.e. LVM configuration if you chose an LVM-capable kernel).

Unfortunately, I think the auther of the new installer has simply opted
to put more into the installer kernel, which may be easier but is a
missed opportunity IMO.

> 
> What more do I want?  Well, a GUI option would be nice, maybe with a 
> visual disk partitioner like Mandrake has (had?)[0] aswell.  Progress 
> bars and flying penguins.  Instead of the bit where you select kernel 
> modules there could be some sort of 'it looks like you want these 
> modules' option, also allowing you to do it manually.

You are never going to get that from the Debian installer.  Those are
frills that are left to Debian derivatives like Knoppix.  The important
thing for Debian is always to get the basic system right.  Then other
people can build what they like on top.

-- 
Bruce

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