Yet another sysinstall thread (Re: The case for FreeBSD)

[Kris Kennaway]

On Mon, Feb 07, 2005 at 09:48:48PM -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!
> 
> Besides, it is REALLY EASY to get lost in the FBSD installer "menu system",
> and not that hard to get caught in a "control loop"; this is not to say that
> the current FBSD installer is a piece of junk - I give kudos to its
> developers, but IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON, and this is the ONE thing that gets
> compared to with Linux "installers" as well as Winchoke, probably more than
> anything else, so if FreeBSD is going to be more appealing to "the masses",
> it needs a completely new installation process (note: I don't really care
> for Solaris' "wizard process" - though it is not TOO bad, and I am not
> trying to advocate a "wizard process" that mirrors others).
> 
> I offer the following suggestions for cogitation and realize that some
> of MY choices may not be "the best", but here goes anyhow:

Fine, yeah, sysinstall sucks, but writing emails proposing
specifications for how someone else should implement a replacement
isn't going to get that job done.  Thousands of words have been
written on that topic over the years, but precious little code.

Kris
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