Re: tech proposal to make manoj somewhat happy.
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On Sun, 26 Jul 1998, Raul Miller wrote:
> Petra, Kevin J Poorman <ewigin@SoftHome.net> wrote:
> > Debian should commit to do any or all of the following.
> >
> > 1: a totaly redone install procedure, with a optional newbie install with
> > help screens detailing exactly what is hapening and what informaion is
> > needed so that complete newbies can install debian.
>
> More help is probably a good idea. Any specific areas you think should
> be addressed?
yes, most users who have a will to learn, but need to install it in order
to get it to work are stymied by the concept of devices... a small
paragraph explaining, what the device files are, and what there
nomeoclature, would be great... ie for hard drives (ide) something like
explaining that most ide drives are access from device files with names
like hda2 and then take it appart like this.
hda2
| ||_ Second partision
| |__ First Ide drive on the first controler
|____ Generic ide hard dirve device file base name
also explaining that unix uses 0-9 instead of 1-10 would help those with
modem problems... however I think this is covered nicly by ppp-config.
>
> > a: the gui system for install should probably be based on w96 (a
> > small 2 color windowing system)
> > b: a port of apt to w96 or whatever gui chosen should be looked
> > into.
>
> *shrug*
>
> > c: the console install should be completly rewriten to include
> > better error handleing and faster base install suport... mabye move from a
> > tar archive to a cpio, or ar, or even zip archive...
>
> Er... this would be faster? I was not aware of any significant speed
> difference.
on my system unpacking a zip file is faster than tar... but that could
just be me, or what I'm unziping.
>
> We do need some good docs on failure modes though, so we can do more
> about them. Maybe you could help compile such docs?
sure, although I'm not quite sure where I would put them... ie: how do I
go about putting them in the install disks?
>
> > Of the above, on the part about useing zip could even remotly be
> > considered a compromise to techincal quality. (and even then only
> > becuase I don't know that zips licens is.
>
> Er.. before we switch, how about verifying that the switch buys us
> something significant?
deffinatly... can you think of a way to time the decompression time of say
a 5meg directory ... wonder which has the best compression method...
something for me to look into.
>
> > debian should also have a firm and well known and loved logo. a contest
> > should be held for this ... possibly debian should do as gimp does and
> > offer a reward. ...
>
> I think some people are working on logo stuff. I dunno where they're
> at on it.
yes, there was some talk of this on deb-publicity.
>
> > debian should also work to switch from the archaic man page format, by
> > provideing as standard packages, the packages that will allow man pages to
> > be served as html pages. useing lynx or kfm, netscape... ect.
>
> Er.. there's a massive project that is doing even better than this
> (integrating multiple document formats, and indexing documentation).
great, I must have missed it, has debian embraced it?... endorced it? ...
can you provide a url for me to recearch this?
>
> > I fail to see how this could be a compromise either...
>
> Check out the mailing list archives, this one has been discussed.
could you provide a time referance?
>
> > as for error loging and handle ing all errors should be writen to a file
> > and then tailed on a empty vt for console isntalls and to the root window
> > for the gui/newbie install.
>
> Hmm... I dunno who's working on this. ?
I would love to help... although. as others know.. my c isn't well
developed... I'm working on it...
>
> > hows that for a tech proposal?
>
> You've got some decent ideas in there. Except for w96 though, it
> looks like a consolidation of some previous ideas. Um.. it helps when
> you propose something technical that you have a well defined purpose
> as part of it. And when talking about optimizations (speed improvements,
> for example) it helps to have measured the relative speeds of whatever
> it is you're proposing.
thanks, could you clarify please what you meant above about w96? ... I'm
confused by what you meant. as for the optimizations, I'm trying to figure
out how to run timeings on them... any ideas? ... zip is out though...
package is non-free AFAICT.
>
> How's that for a response?
great. thank you.
>
> --
> Raul
>
>
> --
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Doing the things a Particle can
Whats he like? Its not important
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- -Particle Man, by They Might Be Giants.
- -K
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