Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 22:15:33 -0400 From: Chris Hill <jchill@dgsys.com> To: freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Install *actually* friendly Message-ID: <v03007805b1ed514d2e87@[204.97.64.155]> In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.96.980805012506.18941B-100000@ns.double-barrel.be> References: <v03007800b1ed30dc8847@[204.97.64.155]>
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Before getting into specifics, I would like to clarify a couple of things.
First, my post was intended as constructive criticism - just a couple of
items that could be added to the docs to make life easier for the next
newbie. Second, I wanted to mention how VERY PAINLESS the whole experience
was (once I had the information I needed) compared to some other software
installations I've had to endure. This really went much more smoothly than
I expected.
"Michael C. Vergallen" <mvergall@mail.double-barrel.be> writes,
>On Tue, 4 Aug 1998, Chris Hill wrote:
>> Gripes:
>>
>> 1. The instructions-docs-readmes pertaining to the installation need to be
>> more explicit on the fact that the boot floppy's little kernel has enough
>> smarts to handle an ftp installation all by itself.
[snip]
>... the fact is that most install floppy's
>for most Unisis can install without requiring anything else besides the
>boot floppy or floppys.
Exactly my point. Not everyone has experience with multiple different kinds
of unix installations. When it comes to documentation, I'd prefer too much
over too little. In any event, what harm could it do to include this fact
in the readme or the installation instructions?
>however one does need to have access to a working
>system to create a boot floppy on.
A working *DOS* system. Quite true, and easy enough to work around.
[snip]
>> 4. Since FreeBSD runs on PC hardware, I would have thought the default
>> configuration would [include the] floppy drive.
>
>No .. I would not like to see this happen for the simple reason that I see
>that most poeple disable the floppy in bios when done installing the
>system. On some off my systems I disable and remove the floppy after
>installation to make shure no clown tampers with the data contained on
>those systems or in event off the systems going down enabling the system
>to reboot itself without having to worry that a floppy might be in the
>drive.
Good point - I hadn't thought of that, and I agree. I guess it depends on
the environment in which the computer will reside.
Furthermore, Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> points out that
[regarding the fact that FreeBSD can install itself via ftp without
external support]
>Writing documentation is very hard, especially if you've just spent
>lots of time writing the code in question - what seems obvious to the
>author is going to give newcomers problems.
Been there! "Of COURSE you need to have the right driver for the device, and
of COURSE it needs to be in your cn2/ir directory... Didn't you know that?
What a retard." :^) (That's the sort of line I have to restrain myself
from writing when preparing a manual for a customer.)
>We count on feedback like
>yours, preferably before releases, to help with this.
That's why I tried to make this *constructive* criticism - the sort of thing
that I, as a developer and doc writer, would like to have. Unfortunately I'm
also a wuss, and so chose "stable" over "current."
>Having said that, the FAQ in section 2.1 tries to make the point above
>clear, as does the opening paragraph in section 2 of the handbook, and
>section 1.5 in the installation help document (INSTALL.TXT, also on the
>sysinstall menu). I'm not sure where else it could be usefully
>mentioned.
Perfect illustration of your first point ("what seems obvious to the author
is going to give newcomers problems"). It does in fact say that in the FAQ.
It's just that, given the overall tone of the FAQ (such as the mention of
DOS in the same section) it was not clear to me. Of course it's *crystal*
clear *now,* since at this point I've done it before. The same applies to
INSTALL.TXT.
>> The virtual console is
>> a truly great feature, but it needs to be documented.
>
>This is documented under "Special Features" in the (succinct) usage
>document, available from the initial sysinstall mennu.
You're right - my apologies. I guess I was hoping to see it in the separate
documentation files such as INSTALL.TXT, rather than the on-screen help.
Which can be perused at leisure, rather than hastily scanned in the heat of
the moment.
Thanks to one and all for listening and responding.
--
Chris Hill jchill@dgsys.com
[place witty saying here]
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