Long standing problems with sysinstall

[Blake McBride]

On Wed, Nov 2, 2011 at 4:03 PM, Warren Block <wblock at wonkity.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Nov 2011, Blake McBride wrote:
>
>> 1.  In order to escape the virtual machine (VM) you hit the control key
>> and the command key together.
>
> Which VM?  FreeBSD as a guest should not run any different than on real
> hardware.  If the VM host's command key does not work right, that implies a
> problem with the VM software.  And of course the "command" key could differ
> depending on VM software.  Which keys, exactly?  Or is this a Mac with an
> actual "command" key?
>
>> Both keys are supposed to be like the shift key - they don't do anything
>> by themselves, they modify the behavior of another key. Hitting those two
>> keys together should never do anything unless they are pressed with another
>> key.  However, in your install program the command key seems to exit the
>> install.  This means that if I attempt to do something else on my machine I
>> must hit the control key together with the command key to move my mouse to
>> my other applications but doing so exits the FreeBSD install!
>
> Again, this would be up to the VM software.  VirtualBox uses the right
> Control key, and it works as expected, switching the keyboard input focus
> from the VM guest to the host machine.


Linux (many versions), Solaris, OpenIndiana, Windows XP & 7, and DOS
all work fine.  The command key doesn't interfere with any of them.

I use VirtualBox and KVM elsewhere.  On the machine I am trying to use
FreeBSD on I use VMWare.  It is quite inconvenient for me to switch on
this box because of one OS.  (I'd have to load up and configure all
the other OS's).  Additionally, VMWare is surely the most popular
commercial VM software.  FreeBSD should work.



>
>> 2.  On the screen "Distribution Select" the user selects his/her
>> desired distribution set.  Selection requires the use of the space
>> bar.  Now, this may be obvious to someone who does FreeBSD day-in and
>> day-out, and it would also be obvious to those familiar with the old
>> text based GUI's from the DOS days, but anyone else wouldn't have a
>> clue.  Why don't you include a little comment on the screen telling
>> the to perform their selection with the space bar?
>
> The curses interface is standard across a lot of software, although I can
> sympathize with the desire for onscreen help.  But if instructions on using
> space to select/deselect are needed onscreen here, there are lots of other
> places all throughout the install that should have them also.  It's not
> practical on some screens with space restrictions. Maybe a global "Press F1
> for keystroke help".

I am talking only about the first screen that uses the space bar.
Once they see it on the first screen they'll have something to go on.


>
>> 3.  I now have the system installed and I am attempting to add packages.
>>  I
>> go into sysinstall.
>
> See the man page for pkg_add about the PACKAGESITE variable.  A value of
> ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/amd64/packages-9-current/Latest
> would get the latest 9.0 packages for amd64.  (Untested, I generally don't
> use packages.)
>

I don't understand this comment.  Yes, I know I can use pkg_add.  If
sysinstall isn't going to work, get rid of the option.  If it's
supposed to do something, make it work.

My comments were not to solicit help to get anything working.  I can
do it without suggesting corrections to sysinstall.  I am providing
feedback a user is experiencing (me).  These relatively easy fixes I
suggest will make the process much easier for people who are just
taking a look and don't have a lot of experience.  If they are just
looking, many will likely give up if every function requires a
research project.  Anyone determined can figure it out.

The more people you attract to FreeBSD the more investment in time and
money will occur.  Making the first step a frustrating research
project does everything to filter out all but the already devoted.

Blake McBride