Shawn Walker wrote:
On 01/28/10 10:50 PM, Anon Y Mous wrote:
With the OpenSolaris distribution, you install a relatively small core
(that is supported), and then you add pieces to that.
Ummmm, OpenSolaris might be an improvement over Solaris 10 in some
ways (i.e. pkg image-update being better than live upgrade) but any
OS that forces you to install a full on GNOME desktop (whether you
want it or not) is certainly not a "relatively small core". If you
want so see what a "small core" looks like, I recommend that you try
installing FreeBSD or OpenBSD some time.
FreeBSD is starting to look particularly interesting because it has a
lot of the same great features that OpenSolaris does, but it gives
you a much smaller minimal installation footprint (just SSH and a
command line and man pages and a ports tree and nothing else) which
makes FreeBSD look good for people who develop embedded devices while
OpenSolaris looks bad (i.e. you don't want a full on GNOME desktop
running in an embedded server appliance).
Everyone's definition of a minimal OS is different since their
definition reflects their own needs. For example, for a desktop user,
their core OS includes GNOME, etc.
Shawn hits the problem right on the head. Minimal installs for me
wouldn't include man pages, but X server apps. With the old Solaris
method of packaging, the only pretty much usable install was everything.
SUNWxall Now, with IPS, we at least have given everyone the option to
create their own, well-understood install image, customized according to
YOUR needs.
More importantly, custom installs from a LiveCD (or, frankly, any
interactive media) aren't a valid Enterprise method of handling things.
Automated installs are the way to go, and efforts to allow for distro
customization belong there, not in a interactive installer, which it
intended (by definition) as a 1-off. Supporting N different "install
flavors" for 1-offs is foolhardy, as we're always going to be making
someone unhappy. The current LiveCD is a reasonable compromise for a
single image for 1-offs, and AI and related technologies are available
for wide customization. There's still some work to be done on AI, and
we indeed should think about maybe tweeking the LiveCD, but efforts to
support customization in the LiveCD install are (IMHO) misplaced.
Frankly, the only thing I'd like the LiveCD to support in terms of
customization is to have the ability of the LiveCD installer to point to
an AI server, and have the AI server provide the install profile &
software.
--
Erik Trimble
Java System Support
Mailstop: usca22-123
Phone: x17195
Santa Clara, CA
Timezone: US/Pacific (GMT-0800)
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