[arch-releng] ISO branding (WAS: Things beyond 2009.01/02)

[Gerhard Brauer]

Am Sun, 1 Feb 2009 21:42:02 +0100
schrieb Dieter Plaetinck <dieter at plaetinck.be>:

> On Sun, 1 Feb 2009 11:43:55 -0800
> Thayer Williams <thayerw at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > On Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 8:52 AM, Gerhard Brauer <gerbra at archlinux.de>
> > wrote:
> > > b) Release "branding"
> > > Should we have release names? Should we have the release versions
> > > (ex. 2009.02) in the splash screens (grub, isolinux) and maybe
> > > in /etc/issue? Background is: User should be able to identify
> > > which ISO release he currently uses. Having the release version
> > > only on ISO/Img-File is sometimes not enough.
> > 
> > I'm not crazy about branding the releases, particularly with
> > codenames and especially in multiple places.  If we brand at all
> > then I think a single instance of a datestamp, preferably near the
> > initial setup, would be appropriate.
> > 
> 
> It's cool to have the release name show up at some places of the *iso*
> (/etc/issue, /etc/rc.sysinit and in the installation program itself
> for example)
> I don't think it should show up at all in the installed system.  I
> don't see the use:  rolling releases, keeping things simple et al.

You're right, i don't mean to get these release numbers/names into the
installed system - only a way to identify the ISO what the user
currently is using.
So Thayer's idea having the current iso version/name as a text file is
good IMHO. Placing it in the iso9660 structure (where the sqfs files
live) and in the booted LiveCD /setup directory is IMHO enough to
identify the ISO release - either if the medium is only mounted or
booted.

> release names: I don't care about them, but I believe enough other
> people do, so sure let's use them. but let's not waste too much time
> thinking of/discussion names.

We could try it - getting around 4 names in a year shouldn't be a big
problem for us. Otherside this could probably be a good point were the
users could come into game, they could make proposals about the next
names. 

Gerhard