Glynn Foster wrote: > On 16/07/2009, at 11:49 AM, Shawn Walker wrote: > >> Jean McCormack wrote: >>> There are several issues with respect to the addition of software >>> selection >>> in the installer that need to be addressed. >> My first comment is to agree with Glynn, that I think this would be >> better handled as a first-boot task using Visual Panels or the >> packagemanager GUI itself somehow. Not only will that help keep the >> installer substantially simpler, but it would avoid some of the >> complexities that you're going to run into by trying to deal with >> this during install time. >> >> If you were producing a Live DVD that contained all of the software, >> it might make more sense, but providing functionality for network- >> based installs inside the installer seems like a needless >> duplication of functionality already provided by packagemanager or >> pkg(1). > > Just for the record, I was advocating adding some sort of package > selection (or group package selection) in the installer originally. I > think you make a good point though, that perhaps this may be a better > inclusion for a first-boot task. I can still see the advantage of > being able to selectively install part of a LiveCD, LiveDVD or LiveUSB > (which could easily handle an entire repo) - those who may or may not > want a desktop environment being a common choice I think. >
The way the Live CD is constructed is not conducive to partial installs, except as an "install it all and then remove portions" implementation. Going back a point: One of the problems with not offering selections in the installer is that it can present the impression that packages which aren't included on the media for space reasons are just not available, at the critical time when the user is sticking a toe in the water. I think that's an especially vital issue with (Open)Solaris, as lack of available software has been a persistent impression that we're fighting hard to address. Beyond that issue, requiring a two-step (install, reboot, then work on it) to get the popular things presents a fairly clunky experience, in my opinion. The point here is not to be perfect, hence the limited selection set being proposed, but to be good enough in a lot of cases. Dave
