(disclaimer: [EMAIL PROTECTED] does NOT have voting status) About not having to press enter during an install process...
I like the idea as an admin... it lets me upgrade lots of machines at once. I would add that configuration of packages can be handled by GNU expect or some such equivalent for totally hands-free installs of debian from scratch, something that an admin would majorly cherish. Whether it's mailed to root (or the first created user), placed in a log file, delayed until all packages are configured or each individual piece of info is delayed until such time as it's needed in the install process (maybe delaying configuration, or alternatively moving configuration ahead so that all such packages are configured before other packges not requiring "press enter to ack" are configured), the user should have a choice. Debian shouldn't make assumptions like "this user is an admin" or "all users should know unix" (a way-wayyyy-too-often-made assumption) or "this user is a newbie -- coddle accordingly". As a new user, however, I'd want to be informed about everything on-the-fly as is now done. I'd want to be able to say "wut id dis?" and "hewp me figger out wut yu ar tellig me" (disclaimer: I don't assume that all newbies have problems speling :) Summary: I am suggesting here that the level of verbosity during the unpacking and configuring of packages should be looked at together with the problem of the cloning of admin boxes: admin boxes should -never- pause, and complete config info can be built into expect scripts, while newbie installs -should- pause and allow the user to take in the info. There may be midpoints, and also points beyond these supposed extreme points. -Jim
