Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:46:37 +0200 From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> To: Manolis Kiagias <sonicy@otenet.gr> Cc: Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>, questions@freebsd.org, VirtualHost <jeroen@virtualhost.nl> Subject: Re: Modern FreeBSD Installer? Message-ID: <20090423084637.eb58cbe1.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <49EFA169.4050903@otenet.gr> References: <BLU0-SMTP493F2C64E33D39A37EF75DD8740@phx.gbl> <714DFCFC-9547-497D-A2C7-0BA10B39B901@mac.com> <49EF82B2.2040807@gmail.com> <alpine.BSF.2.00.0904222316130.3543@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <49EF98C6.2060902@virtualhost.nl> <49EFA169.4050903@otenet.gr>
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On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:59:53 +0300, Manolis Kiagias <sonicy@otenet.gr> wrote: > VirtualHost wrote: > > Perhaps he doesn't want to specify what the > > partioning would look like himself, unless he prefered to do it > > otherwise. The installer does this already, as far as I know. > Exactly. Modern install does not necessarily mean GUI. FreeBSD *needs* a > text installer to work on old machines, headless servers, serial > consoles and the like. That being said, there are quite a few annoyances > with sysinstall. And of course, having a GUI installer as an additional > option is also very welcome. No problem, as long as (a) it isn't default (read: too complicated to switch it off of not needed) and (b) doesn't make things more complicated. It's nice you mentioned some problems (invitations for further development) of sysinstall. Lemme see if I can add something to it: > Some of the current problems with sysinstall IMHO: > > - Confusing set of options - Beginners tend to go in circles inside the > installer > - No real 'back' functionality. Can't fix most mistakes, need to redo > the install Hmmm... I think this is where the user learns "first think, then do" on a good basis. > - Does not make the difference between base system and packages obvious. Yes, especially when adding functionalities like "Linux compatibility", the installer installs some additional packages at this given moment. I'd prefer an installer which acts in two stages: Stage 1: Make all the settings; this would maybe include the option of having a "back" button, or much better: Instead of a linear structure, a hierarchical structure with direct access (as it is now) is much better - in this case, you don't need a "back" button. Stage 2: Download (and install) the system and the packages that are required by the settings made in stage 1. > Personally, I would like a text installer using a previous/next approach > that would give me options like: Forgive me my ignorance, but personally, I completely DISLIKE this linear approach. Instead of A ---> B ---> C ---> D ---> E ---> F oops, forgot something E <--- no, not here D <--- not here, too C <--- ah, here it was, okay, got it C ---> D ---> E ---> F ---> Finish A hierarchy would be better. Options: A This and that B Some other stuff C More stuff D Even more stuff E Some settings F Several other settings Done Commit So one could first select A This and that then, knowing that C - E are not interesting for him, address F Several other settings directly, make some choices, and then, maybe go back to A This and that and do some more tasks, and finally select Done Commit to do the install. This is what sysinstall already provides. In a modern way, it allows to "go back" to any setting that has already been done and change it, and the user is not limited in doing choices in a pre-defined order. -- Polytropon >From Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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