[arch-general] `base` group replaced by mandatory `base` package - manual intervention required

[Eli Schwartz]

On 10/7/19 12:02 AM, Marc Ranolfi via arch-general wrote:
>> The `base` group has been replaced by a metapackage of the same name, we
> advise users to install this package (`pacman -Syu base`), as it is
> effectively mandatory from now on.
> 
> Please, was this discussed somewhere? I want to know the details, and
> gather what is needed to update the 'Installation guide' article in the
> wiki. In particular, I want to understand why essential packages for new
> installations, such as the kernel and a text editor, are not included
> (actually I see the kernel is an optional dependency).

Really, I wish we would do as I'd wanted and transfer the "essential
packages" which aren't actually essential and were thus not included in
base.. to a new *group* called "base-extras", which would reflect its
status as being mere recommendations, while providing a convenient way
to choose to interactively install them, and allowing the Installation
Guide to transition from:

pacstrap /mnt base

to

pacstrap /mnt base base-extras

instead of becoming "and also decide whether you want the kernel, and
also probably linux-firmware (but check whether your hardware needs
firmware first), and oh, if you want a text editor, go install one of
those too I guess, and in case you feel super surprised later when info
and man don't work, you might want to install texinfo and man-db (and
man-pages if you also want manpages) and a dozen other things that most
people want even if they don't realize it".

And now we need to cherry-pick tons of packages for the archiso, and we
need to cherry-pick tons of packages into the installation guide, and
there is nothing straightforward to tell anyone what to do today. So
we've taken a step forward and a step back, and mostly weren't ready for
it either way.

-- 
Eli Schwartz
Bug Wrangler and Trusted User

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