Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 09:10:46 -0400 (EDT) From: Peter Dufault <dufault@hda.com> To: current@freefall.cdrom.com Subject: Install feedback Message-ID: <199504251310.JAA15666@hda.com>
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I tried the install, installing using nfs from another system. Just a few points: 1. The system (A "Dell Dimension 486DX2/50") hung after trying to label the disk after saying "Label written successfully". The debug screen showed: "<Seeking to byte 0> <10>" and everything was dead except the console key toggle. I finally had to press the reset button. I tried it a second time and it worked fine. 2. In the NFS install it wasn't obvious that I was going to get a chance to specify the directory the distribution was in (perhaps I should have realized that) and so I went and changed my export to specify -alldirs so that I could mount the distribution directory. 3. "fsck -y"? I was surprised to see that happen automatically every time you boot. Why not "fsck -p"? Having "-y" in there seems like an invitation to trashing the disks and the naive user assumes everything is fine since the system did it for them. Ease of use: I hesitate to comment on how easy this install was, since I'm not much of a target. I thought the disk editing screen would be kind of confusing to a beginner. A very nice thing would be a single "Set up for entire disk" button that assumed the full disk and set everything up for you with 20MB root, 32 MB swap and the balance /usr. Even better would be "Install on entire disk" in the previous screen that would take straight through to "insert cpio floppy". More minor: even when you have only one disk it keeps asking you for which disk. Another minor point: We recommend in the README against running on a 386SX. I hope we keep our minimal system at 4MB of RAM and potentially a 386SX, at least for another year or so. There are applications that can run OK on this. How about rephrasing this to say "against interactive use on a 386SX" or something else a little less sweeping? Peter -- Peter Dufault Real Time Machine Control and Simulation HD Associates, Inc. Voice: 508 433 6936 dufault@hda.com Fax: 508 433 5267
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