[arch-general] Good press at distrowatch.com

[Dieter Plaetinck]

1)
> This begs the question: does arch really want users who can't get
> through the current installer? Isn't the user base Arch Linux is
> catering to one that /should/ understand this?

definitely. in fact, i think our current interactive installer is
already too complicated/userfriendly. 
there have been some discussions about this already.
E.g.
http://mailman.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-releng/2009-August/000721.html

2) for those who say "partitioning is too difficult" -> have you tried
the automatic partitioning in aif (very similar to the one in
old /arch/setup btw)? can't go much easier then that imho. except maybe
if the user doesn't even know what an ext3 is. 


3)
On Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:50:12 -0600
"David C. Rankin" <drankinatty at suddenlinkmail.com> wrote:

> No, No, No..
> 
> 	Dieter, you are looking at it all wrong. You are approaching
> it like an engineer or scientist sees things. (...)

very funny :)

> 
> If I had two suggestions for the arch installer, it would be theses:
> (..)

that would make things even more complicated.
You're right though that those points are the biggest diffs with other
installers. especially the package selection.  but i don't think we
should implement it in the core of aif.  See also
http://bounty.archlinux.ca/projects/3/
The config files are so powerful you can just add whichever
repositories you need and add packages/groups to install
whatever you want. 
http://github.com/Dieterbe/aif/blob/master/examples/generic-install-on-sda
This should also answer Denis' question.

> 
> I agree with Dieter, that the install should be measured by speed and
> automation -- but long ago I realized that there a whole lot of other
> people out there that just don't think like me :p

Don't misunderstand me.  An interactive hold-your-hand-a-bit
installation processes is a good thing for many use cases (if
implemented correctly).  There are many ways to judge
installations by.  I'm only saying: if one chooses to judge an
installation system by the criterion of speed, then (s)he better gets
his/her facts right before calling our approach slow[er].

Dieter