Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: wireless@×××××××××××.com
To: gentoo-dev@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-dev] [RFC] Rebooting the Installer Project
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 2015 20:46:33
Message-Id: 55AC1C19.4010705@tampabay.rr.com
1 On 07/18/2015 11:30 PM, J.Rutkowski wrote:
2 >
3 >
4 > On Sat, Jul 18, 2015, at 07:06 PM, hasufell wrote:
5 >
6 >> The handbook consists of different sections. Installation is only one of
7 >> them. An installer would just "replace" that part, not the others.
8 >
9 > Agreed. I think that any proposed or actual installer shouldn't replace
10 > any part of the handbook (and most would probably say the same). My
11 > opinion is that an installer should follow the steps (in order) already
12 > outlined in the handbook and up front, leave the rest to automation.
13 > Nothing then changes in the installation and configuration process. The
14 > only difference is making all choices up front and let the installer do
15 > the rest by itself.
16 > For example, once I prepare my disks I tell the installer "I want x, y,
17 > or z stage3; I want openrc or systemd; I want x,y, or z profile; I want
18 > the following xxx in my kernel; etc." then set it and forget about it
19 > til morning.
20
21
22 I agree with what has been stated so far. I would just like to add that
23 eventual support for embedded platforms like PPC, arm (particular
24 arm8v) as well as new files systems like btrfs would been keenly
25 appreciated, even if they are not yet specifically mentioned in the
26 handbook. I.E. I see no reason to limit the new installer to what is
27 strictly included in the handbook. Maybe those more aggressive (wider
28 support) hardware issues are better off being tested in an experimental
29 version(s) of the installer first. The handbook moves at a glacial pace
30 and that's OK, but experimental versions of the installer could be
31 targeted at the rich variety of gentoo and gentoo-derived installs;
32 whilst a stable version mirrors the handbook?
33
34
35 Also, I'd like the new installer to use usb media and persistence as the
36 primary media for installation. Many new devices do not readily connect
37 to cd/dvd type devices; maybe this is another stable vs experimental
38 issue for the installer, rather than trying to create one system for
39 disparagingly differ installation semantics. In that venue maybe
40 resurrecting 'netconsole' code as a way to stream the output remotely
41 is another approach for installing on smaller devices?
42
43 hth,
44 James