HD Installer Enhancement

**jimf** · 01-05-2003, 06:05 PM

I understand that there are many uses for the Knoppix CD, but, I believe that the single most important one is as a installer for a nicely configured Debian distro. If Linux, and specifically Debian, is to be a useful & successful desktop, then, this is absolutely critical. Also, remember that Windows now has 90+% of the desktops and you see why this is so important.

So obviously, many of the people looking at Knoppix are Windows users who want an alternative to MS, and, really want to see a 'comparable' OS Desktop. Linux has to give them more of a reason to transition than "MS is the evil empire". This means that they are expecting (and deserve) the same or better level of development in all levels of the OS including initial installation. Knoppix is perhaps the closest example yet of how that can happen.

In spite of all my efforts, I've never been able to complete a GUI installation in Debian. Mandrake yes, SuSE yes, even Slackware, but Debian NOT. So, I was pleased with the nearly flawless installation of Knoppix with the CD and expected the same with hd installation. Unfortunately, the HD install leaves you a few sticks short of the great Knoppix CD install.

I simply can't understand why things like the NTFS drive recognition and the network interface shouldn't transfer with the hd install. In the forum hd install section, I see this stated over and over again, people want an 'identical' install of Knoppix on the hd. Instead, it would appear that they are getting a (very basic) copy of Debian. This really needs to change, and, some kind of a major effort is needed here.

RunLevelZero · 01-06-2003, 12:07 AM

I was surprised and disapointed myself. It is a great install none-the-less but it would be nice to just knx-hdinstall and have the exact same thing boot from the hard drive. I just wanted to throw in my two cents. Thanks for the great work though. I love Knoppix.

**Tigren** · 01-07-2003, 10:18 PM

This really needs to change, and, some kind of a major effort is needed here.

Well, if you feel that a major effort is needed, go ahead and pitch in. The hard drive installer was built by on of us, a Knoppix user. Out of his own good heart he created this for us. This distro wasn't made to be installed to the hard drive, but to be used from a CD. Now, some people have helped to get it onto the hard drive, but they can't do all the work. If the installer is not up to par, then help make a new one or better the existing one.

**aay** · 01-07-2003, 11:08 PM

I have to agree with Tigren. This subject comes up a lot on the forums,but it needs to be stressed that Klaus Knopper has never intended Knoppix to be used for installs on a hard drive. As Tigren pointed out, the install script was created by a user and was kindly included by Klaus. I not trying to say your request is illegitimate, but if Klaus is not interested in developing this himself then it is incumbent upon those who want such improvements to come up with them themselves. Like it or not that's just the way it is.

01-19-2003, 04:39 AM

And if that were my field of expertese, I'd be happy to do it. Unfortuneately, it's not. You say that you've already seen the same problems, but I notice that you've not done anything about it either, and, Klaus Knopper certainly has the right to take his creation in any direction he chooses. So, realisticaly this will probably not become reality. Too bad

I do have to note an 'attitude' that I've found to be the norm in the Linux community, and if Linux fails as a desktop solution that attitude and not the OS will be the reason. But, my other thought is that although it would be great to have Knoppix as the ultimate Debian desktop, if it doesn't happen, there are other solutions for me.

**Tigren** · 01-19-2003, 08:15 AM

I do have to note an 'attitude' that I've found to be the norm in the Linux community, and if Linux fails as a desktop solution that attitude and not the OS will be the reason.

This attitude is usually directed to people like you, who request and request and request, but never do anything for yourself. I still consider myself very much a "n00b" and I have tons of stuff to learn still, but one thing I have learned is that if you want something done, the best thing to do is try it yourself first. And, if you can not get it to work, then, and only then, should you ask someone you know knows. This attitude isn't given to deter you from Linux, but to get you to try some things on your own before asking the "experts".

wapi · 01-20-2003, 07:56 AM

I find that the want to be of this world are always the people that tell others to do it themselves. This is a very childish as not ever one has the skills or time to learn programing. Knoppix like linux has a great future if the people with the skills time and genorosity try to develop a distro's that meets people's needs and in most cases these needs are very basic, so you so called Knoppix masters use your brains and not your mouths. get of your bums and contribute. Knoppix is a great steep in the right direction lets hope that its development continues. Thanf you Klaus

**dvessey** · 01-22-2003, 03:12 AM

Ok, let's not start a flame war here, no one needs or wants it.

I have that same attitude, that if you want something done, try to do it yourself. I believe the trouble comes when people come to Linux from Windows, and in the windows world, you can't really do much for yourself. You can't rebuild the kernel, you can't compile many of your apps, if you want features in apps you have to request them. Then you make the move over to Linux, and you can do all of this stuff, with very little difficulty.

Knoppix(and Linux in general) are financially free, but they do cost time. Next to no one is getting paid to work on all these wonderful apps, and they do have to make money at some point. so maybe they don't feel like programming 100% of the time, and that's fine with me. I'll take what I get cause I'm not paying a cent for it.

**senorian** · 01-23-2003, 06:11 PM

Perhaps the title of this section leads to misunderstandings.
If I have what I consider to be a great idea, and I feel capable of doing it; I am most likely to go ahead and do it and then, when I know that it works (to dream is sweet) I will announce it to the world.
This section would seem to be for those people, like me, who have ideas but no knowledge to execute them.
It seems inevitable that any idea put forward will sound as though it is a request that someone else do the work.
How do we (I) avoid that?

**dvessey** · 01-24-2003, 02:28 AM

I'm not quite sure how to avoid it to tell you the truth. the Ideas forum is a great place, but too often people come on here simply wanting more programs added. This is a fairly simple procedure and many people here can help you along in the customizing forum.

This is an example of a good idea though, in my opinion, the kind that should be posted in this forum.