Date: Wed, 03 Jan 2007 16:24:50 -0500 From: bobmc <bobmc@bobmc.net> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD Installer vs RedHat Linux Fedora Core Installer? Message-ID: <459C1F22.5070301@bobmc.net> In-Reply-To: <20070103151318.92e9b0c2.wmoran@collaborativefusion.com> References: <ad32ec270701031142j7ed4a6dbr4690189d9f8ece3@mail.gmail.com> <20070103151318.92e9b0c2.wmoran@collaborativefusion.com>
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Bill Moran wrote: In response to "Peter aka SweetPete" [1]<swtpete@gmail.com>: Hello, I used to be on this mailing list several years ago, and have recently rejoined. [2]http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/using-sysinstall.h tml [3]http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install/main1.png vs. [4]http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/install-guide/fc6/en/ch-beginninginstallation. html#sn-booting-from-disc [5]http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/install-guide/fc6/en/figs/bootprompt.png Could I begin a thread (now) about a comparison (and relatively inferiorness) of the following two installers please?? I WOULD run FreeBSD at home instead of Fedora if the installer were more .....erm, """Microsoftly.""" Do you among the developer circle hear this kind of thing from time to time? This seems to come up over and over again. About every other month. The developers are aware of it. The general consensus is that "yes, our installer could be nicer/prettier/easier/etc" However, until someone either takes the time to write a better one, or foots some cash to get a better one written, or blackmails a developer in to doing it or something else, we still have what we have. I think the biggest problem is that the installer is "good enough" -- so nobody is particularly interested in rewriting it until it's not good enough any more -- even though it could be better. Coincidently, issue 68 of linuxuser.co.uk has a positive review of Fedora 6. But Cons: "Anacoda installer is clumsy and poorly designed, due for a major overhaul". (in the reviewer's opinion). It looks fine to me? I like Mepis Linux for it's superior usability and attention to detail. But in FreeBSD I am looking for a lightweight efficient OS that can run a media management system (TBD) on a low-power Mini-ITX computer. IMO, iterative and incremental developement in the FOSS way is more effective than paradigm shift. Therefore, the existing sysinstall program can be improved by setting up a mini-project to do just that. I am sure there are plenty of ideas to improve usability. How about replacing most of these sequential dialogues with tabbed panels where you can check settings in any order? -Bob- References 1. mailto:swtpete@gmail.com 2. http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/using-sysinstall.html 3. http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/install/main1.png 4. http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/install-guide/fc6/en/ch-beginninginstallation.html#sn-booting-from-disc 5. http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/install-guide/fc6/en/figs/bootprompt.png
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