At a high level, I think the text is okay, but could use a few small edits. I'd also like to add an extra dialog (white text on red background) before FDISK, which would be the first destruction action on the disk. That will give the user an opportunity to back out before anything bad can happen. I think that's a better solution than blinking text.
The right place to do this is in the FreeDOS Monthly Test Releases, so we can see it in practice (and continue to make changes) before it becomes FreeDOS "1.5" or "2.0" or whatever the next official version is. On Sat, Nov 22, 2025 at 5:39 PM Jim Hall <[email protected]> wrote: > > It might help to start with the text for a normal installation. Here's > what happens when you install T2511 on a blank hard disk image (in > T2511). I'll reply to this in a follow-up to suggest some edits. > > 1. Boot screen: > > > Welcome to FreeDOS T2511 (LiveCD) > > > > Use FreeDOS T2511 in Live Environment mode > > > > Boot from system harddisk > > > > Install to harddisk > > Install using Floppy Edition > > > > FreeDOS is a trademark of Jim Hall, 2001-2025 Minor text edits to the above: please change "harddisk" to "hard disk" (2 instances) > 2. After selecting "Install to harddisk": > > > What is your preferred language? > > > > [list of languages] The above looks okay to me. > 3. English: > > > Welcome to the FreeDOS T2511 installation program. > > > > FreeDOS is a complete operating system. If you choose to > > install this on your computer, you may overwrite the operating > > system you have now (for example, Windows.) If this is not what > > you intend, please stop now. > > > > Do you want to proceed? > > > > Yes - Continue with the installation > > No - Return to DOS The above screen should be updated. I think we should remove the "If you choose to install .. If this is not what you intend, please stop now." Instead, that text should go on another screen. In place of the removed text, we might add a note that FreeDOS is an implementation of the DOS operating system, something that lets people know "this is DOS." How about this, which is copied/pasted from the website: :: Welcome to the FreeDOS T2511 installation program. :: :: FreeDOS is an open source DOS-compatible operating :: system that you can use to play classic DOS games, run :: legacy business software, or write new DOS programs. :: :: Do you want to proceed? :: :: Yes - Continue with the installation :: No - Return to DOS > 4. Yes, continue: > > > Drive C: does not appear to be partitioned. > > > > Do you want to partition your drive? > > > > Yes - Partition drive C: > > No - Return to DOS I think this screen should change. This should be white (gray) text on a red background, and we should add other text to alert the user that they are about to do something destructive. The text might look something like this: :: Drive C: does not appear to be partitioned. :: :: Do you want to partition your drive? :: :: Partitioning your drive will remove other data that is on it. If you :: continue with this step, you may delete the operating system you have :: now (for example, Windows). If this is not what you intend, please :: stop now. :: :: Yes - Partition drive C: :: No - Return to DOS > 5. Yes, partition: > > > Partitioning hard drive ... > > then: > > > You must reboot your computer for the new partitioning > > scheme to take effect. > > > > Yes - Please reboot now > > No - Return to DOS The above looks okay to me. > 6. Yes, reboot: [repeated from above] > > 7. English: [repeated from above] > > 8. Yes, continue: > > > Drive C: does not appear to be formatted. > > > > Do you want to format your drive? > > > > Yes - Please erase and format drive C: > > No - Return to DOS > > 9. Yes, erase & format: The above looks okay to me. I don't think we need to put it in a red window because the destructive step has already happened, so the user has decided to go ahead with the install. > > Gathering some information to .. [I didn't copy it all] > > then: > > > Please select your keyboard layout. > > > > [list of keyboard layouts] > > > > More keyboard choices... The above looks okay to me. > 10. English: > > > What FreeDOS packages do you want to install? > > > > Plain DOS system > > Plain DOS system, with sources > > > > Full installation including applications and games > > Full installation with sources As long as we're making edits, I have minor punctuation edits for the last two prompts: :: Full installation, including applications and games :: Full installation, with sources > 11. Plain DOS: > > > We are now ready to install FreeDOS T2511. > > > > Do you want to install now? > > > > Yes - Please install FreeDOS T2511 > > No - Return to DOS The above looks okay to me. > 12. Yes, install: > > > Preparing for the installation... Minor text edit: :: Preparing to install FreeDOS... > then: > > > Installing software package '[package name]' > > > > [progress bar] > > then: > > > Software package installation has completed > > then: > > > [messages about transferring files .. I didn't get to copy it] The above looks okay to me. > then: > > > Installation of FreeDOS T2511 is now complete. > > > > Do you want to reboot now? > > > > Yes - Please reboot now > > No - Return to DOS The above looks okay to me. _______________________________________________ Freedos-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/freedos-devel
