taskPackaging - Tasks: task #4482, Installer Concept

 
 

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task #4482: Installer Concept

Submitter:  Michael J. Flickinger <mjflick>
Submitted:  Sat 06 Aug 2005 09:08:04 PM UTC
Votes: 130
 
Should Start On:  Sat 06 Aug 2005 12:00:00 AM UTC Should be Finished on:  Sun 05 Feb 2006 05:00:00 AM UTC
Category:  Installer Priority:  5 - Normal
Status:  In Progress Privacy:  Public
Assigned to:  mjflick Percent Complete:  30%
Open/Closed:  Open Effort:  1.00

Tue 24 Jan 2006 08:05:00 PM UTC, comment #4: 

For scripting, I'd like to go with guile.
So the actual installation script would be written in Scheme.

Michael J. Flickinger <mjflick>
Group administrator
Thu 19 Jan 2006 02:04:16 AM UTC, comment #3: 

I really like ams' ideas.


>> Use GNU now -- Just boot into the LiveCD.


I think it would be important to have a fully featured LiveCD to play with for those wishing to play with the system before installing it--also, for some this could serve as a diagnostic and recovery tool.  For the LiveCD, I think it would be nifty if we could make it possible to have X on there too.


>> If this was in X, I think the there could be a pretty little menu on the left side that is a tree, where you more or less get the above.


I think it would be best to keep it simple as possible at first and to only have an ncurses installer.  Perhaps at a later time we could offer the option of an X installer.

It would be fantastic if we had a very simple-worded and straight forward installer that even a monkey could use.  Of course, I'm in support of having a more customized advanced option for installation.

Further, though more design-oriented, I think it would be nifty if we made the installer scriptable, per ams' idea.  I mean, have some sort of script file that could be used for any installer; this way we don't need to have the installation functions changed in the installer source.  Moreover, if we ever go for an X installer, we would not have to make functionality changes to both the X and ncurses installers.

So, these are my thoughts.  What does everyone else think?

Michael J. Flickinger <mjflick>
Group administrator
Fri 30 Dec 2005 08:06:06 PM UTC, comment #2: 

I like this.  GUI-wise I think the installer should hide many of these details from the user.   It should look something like this I think (each item would be in a new window unless otherwise noted):


Pick Language (if X, a list of languages wtih flags and stuff) -- This would change the locale, keyboard and the default language output.

Use GNU now -- Just boot into the LiveCD.
Install GNU
   Network (automatic/DHCP, or manual)
   Install -- This should take into account all options
              previously set, in either the Advanced section,
              or in this one.  It should then simply execute
              whatever was set.  In short: This should be a
              destructive operation, and NO other options
              change ANYTHING on the disk.
              The default should be automatic partitioning
              when it comes to partition the disk.
Advanced (in the same window as `Install GNU')
   Partition (should update fstab automaticlly, could even be
              done on bootup in the init scripts, already done
              for livecd I think)
   ... More stuff.

If this was in X, I think the there could be a pretty little menu on the left side that is a tree, where you more or less get the above.

Well, those are my thoughts on this.

Alfred M. Szmidt <ams>
Group administrator
Mon 29 Aug 2005 02:57:29 AM UTC, comment #1: 

I have a idea to the 'GNU System Installer'

1. Loads the cd and open Grub
   § Here the user will find some boot options like we have on GNU+Linux systems.

2. Booting Hurd (task #4484)

3. The 'Installer Manager' will be runned by the init scripts
   § It will be a program that reads from a guile conf what modules and in what sequence they will be runned.
   § This group of modules + the 'Intaller Manager' will be the 'GNU System Installer'
   § My idea is create modules that are 100% independent of the others, but, if necessary, we could use some System Variables to pass some information.

4. The 'Wellcome Module'
   a) The user will have a list of supported locales
   b) The user will have a list of keyboards (does hurd support more than 1 keymap)
   c) A wellcome message

5. The 'Partition Module'
   a) Give some information to the user about partitioning
   b) A GOOD frontend to GNU Parted, with options like "Auto Partition", that will use the free space of the HD to create the hurd partitions.
   c) A screen where people will format their partitions

6. The 'Basesystem Installer Module'
   a) Now, users will decide what partition will be '/', what partition will be '/home'... The module can suggest what partition will be used to '/' and 'swap', for example.
   b) Uncompress the Base
   c) Uncompress basic packages and install them (task #4491)

7. The 'Configure Module'
   a) Configure ´fstab´
   b) Change root password
   c) Configure some translators
   d) Configure GRUB
   e) ...

8. The 'Goodbye Module'
   a) A good bye message
   b) open the CD device
   c) reboot the system.

Leonardo Lopes Pereira <leonardo_lopes>
Sat 06 Aug 2005 09:08:04 PM UTC, original submission:  

Draft initial concept for installer.

Michael J. Flickinger <mjflick>
Group administrator

 

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There are 130 votes so far. Votes easily highlight which items people would like to see resolved in priority, independently of the priority of the item set by tracker managers.

 

Follow 12 latest changes.

Date Changed by Updated Field Previous Value => Replaced by
2006-09-04 praveen_a Carbon-CopyRemoved -email is unavailable- -
2006-09-04 praveen_a Carbon-Copy- Added -email is unavailable-
    Carbon-Copy- Added praveen_a
2006-01-24 mjflick Should be Finished on2006-08-05 2006-02-05
    StatusNone In Progress
    Assigned toNone mjflick
    Percent Complete10% 30%
    Effort0.00 1.00
2006-01-19 mjflick Carbon-Copy- Added mjflick
2006-01-19 mjflick Percent Complete0% 10%
2005-12-30 ams Should be Finished on2005-08-06 2006-08-05
2005-08-06 mjflick SummaryInstaller Installer Concept

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