Modern FreeBSD Installer?

[Matthew Seaman]

Manolis Kiagias wrote:

> Personally, I would like a text installer using a previous/next approach
> that would give me options like:
> 
> - Install a Complete FreeBSD Base System => Subchoices: install
> everything or select base system components
> - Install Additional Software Packages
> - Configure other services
> - Help
> 
> and that would allow someone to go back and forth between the pages

So long as it maintains two other really useful features of the existing
sysinstall:

   * scriptable installs -- ie. being able to preload a file containing
     answers to any or all installation choices.  Ideally you should be
     able to PXE boot the installer over a network, whence it runs sysinstall
     automatically to build a system without further operator intervention.

   * You answer all of the questions first, and only then does the installer
     commit any irreversible changes -- and particularly not any operations
     that take appreciable lengths of time like creating filesystems or
     downloading voluminous install sets.

The ability to whiz through sysinstall, set everything up and hit 'go',
then deal with something else while the machine is chuntering away to itself
is a real godsend.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                   7 Priory Courtyard
                                                  Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey     Ramsgate
                                                  Kent, CT11 9PW

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 259 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
Url : http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions/attachments/20090423/7e98b639/signature.pgp