[Mageia-dev] Mageia 3 final set of isos

Tue Sep 25 15:16:13 CEST 2012

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
+