Hello list, Emanuele, I'm sending my reply to debian-live for a broader audience.
On 22/08/2024 20:17, Emanuele Rocca wrote:
I think we should add a GRUB option to the Live CD to start Calamares directly. After using both Calamares and d-i a lot these last days, I cannot help but noticing that for desktop users Calamares is so much better in terms of... pretty much everything? Perhaps controversially, I don't think this is an opinion. :-)
Having 2 installers that act (nearly) identical is 'quite interesting' from a testing perspective. The d-i variant has confused many users, since it does not do a clean install like the netinst image does, but instead installs the live image to the HD. However, I had looked at it a bit, and the d-i could be configured to run similar to the netinst image, so more user scenarios can be covered.
The GRUB menu is already quite long (see e.g. https://openqa.debian.net/tests/300891), and with all options (text/GUI/speech x normal/high contrast) the testing space will explode.
Additionally, the partitioning differs between Calamares and d-i.See also a long discussion in #1076952. Both installers need to synchronise when consensus has been found.
It seems to me that having to answer a lot less questions and using a disk partitioning system designed for humans are two incredible advantages of Calamares. Because of this, I think there are two things we could be doing to make Calamares usage more widespread: 1) make it easier for people to know that such an option exists
When starting the live image, an embedded HTML-page or similar could pop up to advertise the workings of the live image. (Not network access should be required)
2) make it easier to start Calamares once you have a live image ready
Every desktop variant of the live image should have a prominent 'Install Debian' icon
(1) is very difficult because it means changing the website, and doing so without making it worse is not that simple IMHO. So maybe at another point in the future.
Starting a document after booting a live image is relatively easy. It needs proper content however.
Hence my proposal to tackle (2): what would you say about adding a GRUB entry along the lines of "Install Debian with Calamares", which does the same thing as the current Live system but starts the Calamares installer automatically?
If it is possible to start the Calamares installer via a grub line, sure, that would make it easier to install that way.
This would be desirable in my view because some people may not be even aware of the fact that Debian can be installed from within the Live system, and additionally GNOME had the great idea of dropping support for desktop icons (why would you allow people to use a metaphor they've been using for decades, right?) so it's not immediately clear HOW to install Debian once the Live GNOME system has booted up.
> Looking forward to your thoughts. Alternatively, the GRUB menu can be reduced to 1. Start live 2. Install the live image to the HD 3. Advanced options 3.1 UEFI settings3.2 Safe booting (although the current safe options do not work reliably on a openQA)
3.3 Install live to HD with variants A, B, C, D... 3.4 Install from scratch with variants A, B, C, D... With kind regards, Roland
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