On Sunday, 8 January 2006 at 21:13:17 -0500, Joey Hess wrote:
> Angus Mackenzie wrote:
> > The Tasksel stage of the installer could indeed make life easier for the
> > neophyte. It could strongly advise them to install a desktop environment by
> > default and make the choice of a console an option for those who Know What
> > They Are Doing, as I do 7 or 8 machines later.
>
> tasksel in etch uses heuristics to automatically default the desktop task
> on, if the system looks like one that would reasonably run it. Leaving
> the details out, here's the basic logic used:
>
> if ! enough_ram || ! enough_disk; then
> unmark
> fi
>
> if desktop_hardware; then
> mark
> fi
>
> if unlikely_desktop_architecture; then
> unmark
> elif common_desktop_architecture; then
> # XXX further heuristics here to avoid selecting the task on
> # high-end hardware that's intended to be used as a server.
> # For example, if it has two NICs with link, it's probably a
> # server. If it's rackmountable, a server, etc.
>
> mark # probably a desktop ...
> else
> # XXX further heuristics here
> :
> fi
>
> unmark
Oh, that's neat. I hadn't noticed that on the etch install I did
recently, but it is neat. I still think this step is so important for
the neophyte, and so easy to skip past without full consideration that
it would be worth labouring it a little. For example, suppose tastsel
were split into two stages, with four screens (I am writing this with
only a hazy recollection of what was in the installer the last three
times I raced through it not bothering to read anything, so some of this
is probably there anyway):
1 Clear explanation page that "you are about to decide whether you
get a graphic user interface (like doze, mac, etc) or just a command
line." [another paragraph to explain that if the GUI doesn't work
beginners may need to seek help to get configured] If you want to
be working with a mouse and icons, be sure to leave 'desktop
evironment' selected.
2 select desktop env.
3 Brief explanation of meaning of other options (in context of
stand-alone home computer). Explanation that these options can be
added easily afterwards [I recollect that is there anyway].
4 select other tasksel options.
The point being that the first option is critical for a neophyte, and I
suspect many do not realize that.
--
richard
>
>
> --
> see shy jo
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