[Mageia-dev] Virtual machine image distribution

[David Sjölin]

Hello!

Here are some suggestions:

VirtualBox (.vdi), storage set to "Dynamically expanding storage"
(meaning that the vdi-file only takes up as much space as is used),
maxsize of 10-30 gb? 32 bit should be easiest to use? Or is 64 bit
more common these days (maybe one of each)?

In VirtualBox you can configure the memory size later, but maybe 512
mb memory as default?

Package suggestion: X, dev-tools (gcc, linux-headers etc.), office,
Firefox/Seamonkey, perhaps Emacs? VBox-Guest-Additions would be nice
since graphics can sometimes be complicated in VirtualBox. But as you
say that part may be difficult to anticipate what people may want.
Since it seems that php and perl is commonly used, maybe that should
be included?

I would be interested in this, especially for the first versions. But
as you say, one could install it oneself on a VirtualBox, but with
some distributions I've used graphics can be complicated to get right
in VirtualBox.

Regards,

Zarniwoop/David Sjölin


On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 1:28 PM, Michael Scherer <misc at zarb.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> while debugging the last issues for iso for alpha 1, Anne reminded us
> that some people asked in the past for appliance ( ie, virtual machine )
> to be distributed along the isos on mirrors.
>
> While we will likely not do for the next release ( due tomorrow ), I
> would like to have some feedback about it ( as i seldom use such
> features, I prefer to install my vm myself ).
>
> There is some question to answer :
> - what technology would people like to see ? ( remember, this has to be
> something that can be created using free softwares in the distribution )
>
> - what type of hardware should be emulated ( i586/x86_64, sound card,
> etc ? )
>
> - what should be distributed along the disk image ?
>
> - what kind of installation ? Ie, a default user with a default
> documented password, but for issue such as language, size of the disk,
> partitionning, set of installation package, this is more tricky.
>
>
> Who would be interested by this feature ? Some has example of
> company/group doing the same that he could comment ( I found several
> people doing the same, but no time to look at details ) ?
>
> --
> Michael Scherer
>
>