[Mageia-dev] Mageia 3 final set of isos

[Thomas Backlund]

andre999 skrev 24.9.2012 09:57:
> Anne Nicolas a écrit :
>> Hi there
>>
>> So here is the discussion about what isos we should keep or have for
>> final release. We had several (many!) proposals on that topics and we
>> need to take some decisions.
>>
>> Here are some prerequisites I can see for what I can read in comments
>> and review about Mageia on the web.
>>
>> - provide a full open source software version
>> - provide CD iso(s) so that it can be quick to download (people having
>> low band-width or paying depending how much they use it)
>> - provide live version(s)
>> - decrease isos number. QA is just a hell on the set we had for Mageia 2
>> - provide localization as large as possible
>> - provide isos including major drivers including proprietary one to make
>> it easier to install and configure
> ...
>> Please add all explanations to your proposal.
>>
>> Let say we take one week on this so until 26/09 then we will make a
>> final proposal
>>
>> Cheers
>>
> My suggestions :
> *Non-live isos*
> 1 dual cd with proprietory firmware/drivers
> -- based on comments by Alien and others
>
> 1 dvd 32-bit with proprietory firmware/drivers


you do realize that this is a no-go as we already have problem fitting 
even LXDE on dual isos (as you only have ~350M / arch for rpms and 
installer, so trying to load a lot of extra fw and drivers on wont work.

And yes, we already hardlink noarch packages


> -- we could ask at the beginning something like
> "This disc can install proprietory firmware or drivers needed by your
> hardware.  Do you want to :
> 1) Install such software automatically,
> 2) Ask for each such software, or
> 3) Never install such software."
>
> That way users can accept or avoid such software as they wish.
> At the same time, users will never be stuck.  This will be particularly
> useful for new users, especially those who found the dvd in a magazine.
> Also users preferring no non-free, including firmware or drivers, could
> simply resinstall accepting certain firmware/drivers after finding that
> their hardware doesn't work properly.

As with all suggestions to mod the installer, we still need someone to
do the work, not just expect that "someone" will do it...

> -- It seems unlikely that magazines would care about the free/nonfree
> issue, as long as the software is redistributable without cost.  And I'm
> only talking about firmware/drivers where a reliable free version
> doesn't exist.
>
> *Live isos*
> 1 live (installable like current dvds) dvd 64-bit with
> kde/gnome/lxde/xfce and all localizations, and the proprietory
> firmware/drivers now found on live cds.
> -- variation of suggestion by Sander
> -- this replaces both the current 64-bit dvd + 8 live cds
> -- it seems much less likely that 64-bit users will have the download
> bandwidth problems of many 32-bit users.  (If I'm not mistaken.)


You are kidding, right ?
Just because they have a 64bit hw, it does not mean they have accees
to cheap bw since that depends on where they live, what isp they have, 
and so on...


> -- users with 64-bit machines could still use a 32-bit live cd if they
> wish.
> -- This should save a lot of problems testing, as many potential testers
> don't have 64-bit machines available.
>
> 8 live cds 32-bit; kde or gnome; 4 localisation groups
> -- users with 32-bit machines are more likely to have bandwidth
> problems, or to not have dvd writers.
>
> This totals 11 isos, down from 19. (reduced by 8 live cds.)
>
> Note that I didn't include an iso without proprietory firmware/drivers,
> as with appropriate warnings on those with, an iso without would be
> redundant.  Just unnecessarily increasing the testing workload.
>
> Note also that it would be useful to have a file in the iso directory
> listing the languages available on the various live cds.  (Lacking for
> mga2, but did exist for mandriva.)
>


Not so... every livecd is has a matching *.lang:

http://mirrors.kernel.org/mageia/iso/2/Mageia-2-LiveCD-GNOME-Europe1-Americas-i586-CD/Mageia-2-LiveCD-GNOME-Europe1-Americas-i586-CD.langs


And this page lists the langs on the isos too:
http://www.mageia.org/en/downloads/


> A final point - to me it is really important to be able to upgrade an
> existing installation, instead of forcing a clean install.  This allows

DVDs and netinstalls already support upgrades...
(DVDs will still always have some problem unless you add online medias,
  as we cant fit all of the online repos on the DVDs)

The mga3 upgrade path will need more work due to UsrMove, but it
should still be possible...

> the user to more easily keep their current configuration, and in some
> cases essential drivers/firmware not on the iso.  Referring to the dvds
> and the dual cd, and not the live cds, which are not primarily for
> installation.

I guess you mean livecds _are_ meant for installation, not upgrades

--

Thomas