Re: The case for FreeBSD

In message <1107856109.84971.6.camel_at_pcgem.rdg.cyberkinetica.com>, Antony T Curtis writes:
>On Mon, 2005-02-07 at 21:48 -0600, supraexpress_at_globaleyes.net wrote:
>> One of the main "stumbling blocks" to using FreeBSD is the installation
>> process. I have had "lots of fun" (not!) with NetBSD's line-mode/shell-script
>> "installer" and confusing companion installation instructions, in the past; I
>> only tried OpenBSD once and don't remember anything about its installation
>> process, but I seem to recall that it was similar to NetBSD's; FreeBSD's
>> 'DOS-like menu' system is a travisty and IS PROBABLY THE ONE THING THAT TURNS
>> OFF MORE PROSPECTIVE FBSD USERS THAN ANYTHING ELSE - I know - I have heard!
>
>In my opinion, I like FreeBSD's installer. So simple, no distracting
>graphics, or hard-to-read text, no need for a mouse. If I was to develop
>an installer for an operating system, it would be pretty similar to
>sysinstall.

We probably save both ourselves and the potential user a lot of
valuable time if he is turned off by the fact that the installer
is shell-script or a curses menu based as opposed to X11 and graphics
based.

If the potential user cannot cope with sysinstall, they're probably not
going to survive in the long run anyway.

Imagine when he needs to set up a printer ?  You install these
ports, then you stick weird stuff in this file, write this shell
script filter thing and ...  hey ?   you're leaving already ?
what do you mean "archane and cryptic" ??  Come back here!  Damn...


FreeBSD is not at present anywhere close to a plug&play operating
system, you simply need to have a certain non-trivial level of clue
or willingness to obtain same the hard way, otherwise it is not
going to fly.


Mind you, I'm not saying that it should _stay_ that way, but right now
that is the way it is, and we have to act accordingly.

So if we are done pounding our hands into the bar top, yelling "If
*I* had it *MY* way, everybody should ..." while splattering the
innocent bystander next to us our drink, somebody should go off and
start working on the programms necessary to implement the following
installation program:

	Insert media.
	Boot.

	Q:	There is no unreserved disk space.
		Do you want to take N Gigabytes of free space from
		$OPERATINGSYSTEM to use for FreeBSD ?

	A:	yes.

	(installs itself after sqeezing some other OS a bit. If it takes
	longer than a few minutes, the user is offered a chance to start
	reading the documentation of their choice "Welcome to FreeBSD",
	"Release notes" and "From FreeBSD N to N+1" etc).

	Q:      If you have any USB, Firewire or other external
		devices you want to have autoconfigured at this
		time, please make sure they are turned on now.
		Press Enter when ready.

	A:	E-N-T-E-R

	(finds all USB, firewire and self-announced ethernet devices
	like scanners, printers, modems, firewalls etc.)

	Q:	I see you have a network connection, please verify
		the following settings:

		(settings autodetected, possibly by rumaging around in
		the windows registry)

		Press return if this looks right.

	A:	R-E-T-U-R-N

	Q:	Congratulations, you are done!  Welcome to FreeBSD.

		If you are new to FreeBSD we have prepared a little
		tutorial for you, press this -> [cute picture] button
		at any time to reach documentation and help.


Assignment due one year from now.

Any further questions ?

No ?

On your marks ... ready ... set ... GO!

-- 
Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
phk_at_FreeBSD.ORG         | TCP/IP since RFC 956
FreeBSD committer       | BSD since 4.3-tahoe    
Never attribute to malice what can adequately be explained by incompetence.