From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Feb 8 09:48:33 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A990516A4CE for ; Tue, 8 Feb 2005 09:48:33 +0000 (GMT) Received: from mta08-winn.mailhost.ntl.com (smtpout16.mailhost.ntl.com [212.250.162.16]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id ADEB343D31 for ; Tue, 8 Feb 2005 09:48:32 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from antony.t.curtis@ntlworld.com) Received: from aamta01-winn.mailhost.ntl.com ([212.250.162.8]) by mta08-winn.mailhost.ntl.com with ESMTP <20050208094831.OXGL8887.mta08-winn.mailhost.ntl.com@aamta01-winn.mailhost.ntl.com>; Tue, 8 Feb 2005 09:48:31 +0000 Received: from localhost.localdomain ([81.107.94.210]) by aamta01-winn.mailhost.ntl.com with ESMTP <20050208094831.FYMF15415.aamta01-winn.mailhost.ntl.com@localhost.localdomain>; Tue, 8 Feb 2005 09:48:31 +0000 From: Antony T Curtis To: supraexpress@globaleyes.net In-Reply-To: <20050208034855.D211E43D45@mx1.FreeBSD.org> References: <20050208034855.D211E43D45@mx1.FreeBSD.org> Content-Type: text/plain Date: Tue, 08 Feb 2005 09:48:29 +0000 Message-Id: <1107856109.84971.6.camel@pcgem.rdg.cyberkinetica.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.0.3 FreeBSD GNOME Team Port Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: The case for FreeBSD X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 08 Feb 2005 09:48:33 -0000 On Mon, 2005-02-07 at 21:48 -0600, supraexpress@globaleyes.net wrote: > One of the main "stumbling blocks" to using FreeBSD is the installation > process. I have had "lots of fun" (not!) with NetBSD's line-mode/shell-script > "installer" and confusing companion installation instructions, in the past; I > only tried OpenBSD once and don't remember anything about its installation > process, but I seem to recall that it was similar to NetBSD's; FreeBSD's > 'DOS-like menu' system is a travisty and IS PROBABLY THE ONE THING THAT TURNS > OFF MORE PROSPECTIVE FBSD USERS THAN ANYTHING ELSE - I know - I have heard! In my opinion, I like FreeBSD's installer. So simple, no distracting graphics, or hard-to-read text, no need for a mouse. If I was to develop an installer for an operating system, it would be pretty similar to sysinstall. Perhaps the only thing that could be made better is a much simpler step-by-step install for newbies - reduce the number of options available and cater for the common install senerios so that the install can be done on a clean drive with half a dozen keystrokes - but I would definitely keep the current sysinstall for the admin who knows what s/he wants! -- Antony T Curtis, BSc. UNIX, Linux, *BSD, Networking antony.t.curtis@ntlworld.com C++, J2EE, Perl, MySQL, Apache IT Consultancy.