[Mageia-dev] Mageia 3 final set of isos

[Christian Lohmaier]

Hi *,

as my first mail from Sep. 19 has not been moderated through (if
you're not going to moderate posts, then just completely reject the
mail, don't claim it is being sent to moderators for review)..

See my comments re target/usage of LiveISOs below

Hi *,

On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 9:40 AM, Anne Nicolas <ennael1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> - provide a full open source software version

don't see a need for this when there is a checkbox or similar switch
to enable/disable "nonfree" stuff.

> - 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)

Yes please!

> - provide live version(s)

Especially live-ISOs should be CD-ROM size.

> - decrease isos number. QA is just a hell on the set we had for Mageia 2

I don't see the need for DVD-size special ISOs. To be precise: A
simple snapshot of the repositories, to use as additional installation
source should be enough for more or less everyone.
Have a CD with the basic stuff, and then install the rest either via
network or from an additional repo-DVD.

The more time passes, the more useless the initial repo's data gets,
as updates will be released for many packages. System builders/people
who need to do offline installation could then just sync their
favorite mirror/create a DVD with current packages and use that
instead of the initially released one.

The repo-packages can be tested completely automatically, as all that
needs to be done is to verify the iso-creation (directory layout, no
read-errors/partial files in the iso)

> - provide localization as large as possible
> - provide isos including major drivers including proprietary one to make it
> easier to install and configure

This is the only item where "completely open source/free" vs "one with
proprietary stuff" would be of relevance. If there was a boot option
to switch between the two, then one single iso would be enough.

> Keep in mind that what you want is not necessarily what another one want. So
> let start proposals here and discussion. Please add all explanations to your
> proposal.

So my proposal:
##############################
* Only CD-ROM as installation media,
** one dual arch for text-based installation
** one live for each architecture and major Desktop, i.e. one GNOME,
one KDE (english+whatever other western languages fit)
** isos for more languages only if you got QA for it. But editions for
CJK and RTL surely would be nice.

* additional packages on DVD as simple repository snapshot

There have been arguments: "But you cannot fit all packages that make
up GNOME or KDE onto a CD-ROM sized iso".
My reply is: It doesn't need to be the complete desktop environment.
Live isos are used to:
* Check whether the hardware is supported at all
* Check whether the distro's structure fits oneself
* As installation media
* As rescue system for whatever unforeseen circumstances, and to
backup that windows-PC from $friend_or_family

Also the questions whether people have DVD or CD-Rom drives isn't so
much of a question. If it has a drive, you can assume it also can use
DVD, but at least myself and ~everyone I know don't use actual CDs
anymore, but rather put the ISO onto an USB-Stick. I don't own a
USB-Stick in DVD-capacity, but I own a few that can fit a CD-ROM
image.

I'm against DVD sized installation media because
* It is only of use right after release, the more time passes, the
more outdated the packages are, and the more updates will have to be
installed over the net anyway
* it is a big download
* USB-media in DVD-size not as widespread as CD-Rom sized ones
* DVD for live-isos: You'll not be able to use all that is available
anyway, since RAM is limited, and providing all kinds of stuff that
then just leads into programs being killed because of OOM is
counter-productive.

So bottom line: Drop the DVD-size images, provide
repository/additional packages images as a convenience for
offline-installers instead. (i.e. it would only contain repository
data, would not be bootable. To boot, use one of the CD-sized options)

ciao
Christian