Misleading Debian's installer choice
in [Debian]
|
Prev: Linux PDA cell phones - Linux on Android compatible cell phones? ; jor Debian
Next: FW: python 2.6 migrated to testing
From: Mark on 29 Jun 2010 17:20 On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 2:08 PM, Merciadri Luca < Luca.Merciadri(a)student.ulg.ac.be> wrote: > > A last problem (still for me) is that the `Bootable flag' thing is not > clear: you can choose to put the bootable flag on, say, /tmp/ (if you > choose to put /tmp/ on a seperate partition), where I don't think that > it could have any interest (except making things messy). > > Don't hesitate to comment this. > Yes, but you said this wasn't for beginners in your original post so if a non-beginner can't get the Bootable Flag set up on the right partition to boot, they are not a non-beginner...so this point probably doesn't apply.
From: Klistvud on 29 Jun 2010 17:20 Dne, 29. 06. 2010 22:48:59 je Merciadri Luca napisal(a): > the distinction the Debian installer makes > between the `/' as it is normally in Linux filesystems, and the `/' in > the installation process, which is actually everything except what was > asked to be put on other partitions. > And what, pray, would that distinction be? IIRC "the '/' as it is normally in Linux filesystems" is exactly that: everything except what you put on dedicated partitions. But then again, I may have misunderstood your question in the first place ... -- Regards, Klistvud Certifiable Loonix User #481801 http://bufferoverflow.tiddlyspot.com -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-REQUEST(a)lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster(a)lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/1277846349.9812.0(a)compax
From: Mark on 29 Jun 2010 17:30 On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 2:18 PM, Merciadri Luca < Luca.Merciadri(a)student.ulg.ac.be> wrote: > Mark wrote: > > > Yes, but you said this wasn't for beginners in your original post so > > if a non-beginner can't get the Bootable Flag set up on the right > > partition to boot, they are not a non-beginner...so this point > > probably doesn't apply. > > > Okay. But why allowing something that has no interest to be done, to be > done, be it by a beginner or not? > Good point. Maybe the code didn't fit into the Debian Installer to determine which partitions to allow the user to make bootable? Your guess is as good as mine.
From: Merciadri Luca on 29 Jun 2010 17:30 Klistvud wrote: > Dne, 29. 06. 2010 22:48:59 je Merciadri Luca napisal(a): >> the distinction the Debian installer makes >> between the `/' as it is normally in Linux filesystems, and the `/' in >> the installation process, which is actually everything except what was >> asked to be put on other partitions. >> > > And what, pray, would that distinction be? IIRC "the '/' as it is > normally in Linux filesystems" is exactly that: everything except what > you put on dedicated partitions. > > But then again, I may have misunderstood your question in the first > place ... > No, you've correctly understood it, and Joey's put me on the right lane. :) Thanks. -- Merciadri Luca See http://www.student.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/~merciadri/ I use PGP. If there is an incompatibility problem with your mail client, please contact me. Better late than never.
From: Merciadri Luca on 29 Jun 2010 17:30
Joey Hess wrote: > Merciadri Luca wrote: > >> First, I always found the `mount point' expression weird in this >> context, because, for me, the mount point _is_ always the partition, >> during the installation, but this is not the problem. >> > > You have this common terminology exactly backwards. One mounts /dev/hda1 > on mount point / or /dev/sdb5 on mount point /home; one does not mount > /home on /dev/sdb5. HTH :-) I fixed the next paragraph for you: > | The biggest problem is that you are able to choose between, say, `/', > | `/var/', '/usr/', `/home/', etc. But, without thinking a lot, `/' > | *habitually* contains the rest. So, mounting say hda1 `/`, and > | hdb1 on `/home/` could appear as weird for the user, at first glance (only). > That must be the origin of my problem. Thanks. >> I'm here speaking about users who're not beginners, >> but who want to understand the distinction the Debian installer makes >> between the `/' as it is normally in Linux filesystems, and the `/' in >> the installation process, which is actually everything except what was >> asked to be put on other partitions. >> > > The mental model that most non-beginners should have is that the system's > root is / , which is where some system disk is mounted, and that additional > disks are mounted to other mount points in the tree. The disk mounted at / > is not a special case in not containing everything under / -- the disk > mounted on /home does not necessarily contain everything under /home either. > (I may have another (larger) disk mounted on /home/joey.) > > Everything said in the installation process should be consistent with that. > Of course, the installer doesn't require users understand this stuff either. > / +1, finally. > But I think you're making it seem more complicated than it is. > Well, just as many things. That's my problem. :( Thanks. -- Merciadri Luca See http://www.student.montefiore.ulg.ac.be/~merciadri/ I use PGP. If there is an incompatibility problem with your mail client, please contact me. Walk softly, carry a big stick. |