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Date:      Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:50:11 -0600
From:      Scott Long <scottl@samsco.org>
To:        Ken Smith <kensmith@cse.Buffalo.EDU>
Cc:        freebsd-stable@freebsd.org, Kai Otto <kais.deliverymail@googlemail.com>, Ian Smith <smithi@nimnet.asn.au>
Subject:   Re: Fwd: FreeBSD 7.1 Content
Message-ID:  <48C42263.2050808@samsco.org>
In-Reply-To: <1220762797.29265.43.camel@bauer.cse.buffalo.edu>
References:  <20080905213656.BDB444500F@ptavv.es.net>	<20080906141423.N439@sola.nimnet.asn.au> <1220762797.29265.43.camel@bauer.cse.buffalo.edu>

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Ken Smith wrote:
> I'm with Scott in that I like the "other distros" being around.  I don't
> think that necessarily means we shouldn't try harder.  But IMHO trying
> harder needs to be reflected in a new installer.  Lets face it,
> sysinstall s*cks...  For the type of folks who want the installer to do
> more than sysinstall does now sysinstall simply isn't the right tool (no
> offense intended).

To me, the "sysinstall problem" is already solved.  PCBSD already has a
new installer that is quite capable.  Granted, it's not part of the
"base system", but I don't think that it needs to be.  In fact, I don't
think it can be, because the modern APIs and languages that one would
use to write a modern installer aren't in the base system and likely
never will be.  Furthermore, there should not and can not be "one true
installer" just like there cannot be "one true distribution."  Trying
to make it be that way only stifles innovation.  People should be
encouraged to write many installers in Python, Ruby, LUA, or whatever
language and API set gets the job done, without worrying about how it'll
all integrate into the base system or what colliding viewpoints from the
peanut gallery they'll need to compromise on.

I think that this is all the more reason to stop viewing the freebsd.org
release bits as the One True Release and start encouraging people, in
earnest, to view them as reference bits for others to build on and
package.

Scott



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