I have some suggestions for the design objectives of the FreeDOS installer:
For old PCs (i.e. any PC that *cannot* boot from a CD):
1) Remember the old days of PCs. In those days, many people with ATs, XTs,
and compatibles managed to work with large volumes of data using a
variety of network based methods including:
a) Novell networks
b) mainframe networks
c) networked cdrom drives
d) serial or parallel port based file transfer pgms like LapLink
2) Ask yourself "How many people using a PC made in the 1980s do *not*
have access to a more modern PC?"
I imagine that the answer is very, very few. It follows that almost
everyone using such a PC:
a) is doing so by choice.
b) has access to equipment which allows them move data into old PCs.
Give those people a bootable floppy image (and "access" to the rest
of the FreeDOS data) and trust them to know what to do (or to ask for
advice here).
For modern PCs (i.e. any PC that *can* boot from a CD, network, USB
device, etc.):
3) Try to make FreeDOS "future-proof" by relying on more actively
maintained tools.
I.e. specify some ideal installation scenarios and design the FreeDOS
installer for those scenarios. Then link to (and provide
instructions for using) other tools which can setup one or more of
those ideal pre-installation environments.
E.g. design the FreeDOS installer to look for an empty FAT16 or FAT32
partition. Then create some instructions (including screen captures)
that show how to take some typical modern PCs and use a tool (like a
Gparted LiveCD) to create an empty FAT16 or FAT32 partition on them.
Then add a link to that Gparted LiveCD (or whatever tool you use) on
the FreeDOS webpage. Or mirror it.
4) Remember that *not everyone* who uses FreeDOS wants to install it. As
others here have said, sometimes all a user needs is a temporary system
- like a bootable floppy or a LiveCD (e.g. to re-flash a BIOS).
Comments?
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