Steve and I have been brainstorming a bit about this and it looks like
we'll be going for a combined light desktop CD after all, containing
packages needed for both Xfce and LXDE desktop tasks.
However, debian-cd will also support building LXDE only images.
The name for the CD will probably become (if allowed and not too long):
debian-50r0-xfce+lxde-arch-CD-1.iso
I now have a patch for debian-cd that adds the option to select the
desired desktop from the top isolinux menu for this new image. The lower
level menus are then basically identical to the existing menu.
When a user selects a desktop and then selects help, hitting enter from
the help screens boot prompt will install the selected desktop. Typing
'menu' will display the graphical boot menu again.
The Xfce desktop will be default for all install, expert, etc. boot
options if typed from the help screens boot prompt. Easiest way to get an
LXDE desktop is to add 'desktop=lxde'.
There are two images available for testing:
- lxde CD:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/fjp/debian-50-i386-lxde-CD.iso
- light desktop CD:
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/fjp/debian-50-i386-light-CD.iso
These need extensive testing! Please also let us know what you think of
them.
A new idea that Steve suggested was to make the i386 and amd64 DVDs, and
if possible also the i386/amd64 multi-arch DVD (with or without powerpc
depending on space), support *all four* desktops. This would be
implemented a bit differently, namely by leaving the top level menu as it
is but adding a Desktop selection option in the Advanced options menu.
Note that this is ONLY a realistic option for the DVD images and not for
CD images.
The regular CD1 will remain Gnome only (but users can of course select a
different desktop by booting with 'desktop=...' if they know they will be
using a mirror, but then they should be using a BC or netinst anyway...).
It could also be an option to allow desktop selection for the businesscard
and netinst CD images (as they install the tasks from network anyway),
but maybe not for Lenny.
ToDo
* Test the light CD with serial boot. I suspect that hitting 'enter' may
not work in that case due to a missing default. (Same goes for the daily
built multi-arch CD.)
* Add text in F3 help screen that Xfce is default when booting from the
help screens boot prompt other than by just hitting enter.
* Building multi-arch multi-desktop images should be mostly supported but
will a few minor tweaks and testing.
* Rename adamd*.cfg to amdad*.cfg in D-I build system. It turns out that
this is a saner naming convention for multi-desktop support.
* Create incremental patch for building the all desktops DVD.
* Add lxde and multi-desktop support in win32-loader configs (post-lenny).
Issues
==
* Help text is not displayed for Xfce and LXDE submenu entries. Probably a
syslinux limitation.
* The rescue option is not really desktop dependent. For the light desktop
CD it can probably just stay where it is, at least for Lenny. For the
multi-desktop DVDs it should be removed from the desktop-specific
Advanced options menus.
Cheers,
FJP
signature.asc
Description: This is a digitally signed message part.