Subject: Re: Default filesystem sizes
To: David Brownlee <abs@anim.dreamworks.com>
From: Simon Burge <simonb@netbsd.org>
List: tech-install
Date: 06/22/1999 14:36:53
David Brownlee wrote:

> On Tue, 22 Jun 1999, Simon Burge wrote:
> 
> > David Brownlee wrote:
> >
> > > 		[a] Toggle 'install with X'
> > > 		[b] Standard		(one big filesystem, plus swap)
> > > 		[c] Standard server	(/, swap, /usr, /var)
> > > 		[d] Custom 		(Uses defaults from [c]).
> > 
> > Could we insert a "[c] Standard with /var" as well?  I've seen a few
> > people mention that they use that sort of layout.
>
> 	Hmm - I'm a little wary about confusing users further.
>         I'd imagine those who use that config are most likely to
>         use 'custom' setup anyway.
> 
> 	(Now I'm about to suggest something that will probably being
> 	even more confusing for naive users :)
> 
>         How about:
> 
>                 [a] Generate disklabel based on below
>                 [b] Install with X          [no]
>                 [c] Separate /usr partition [no]
>                 [d] Separate /var partition [no]
>                 [e] Enter custom values
> 
>         That gives eight different ways (2*2*2)
> 
> 	We're probably getting too complicated here - feedback
> 	still welcomed...

If the first (simple) menu was:

	[a] Standard            (one big filesystem, plus swap)
	[b] Standard server     (/, swap, /usr, /var)
	[c] Custom              (Uses defaults from [b]).

and the custom menu was:

	[a] Install with X          [no]
	[b] Separate /usr partition [no]
	[c] Separate /var partition [no]
	[d] Enter custom values (the "old" custom menu)

This still isn't quite right, but you get the idea.


One of my ideas for the future of sysinst was to get the sets to install
before sizing the partitions, that way we don't need to do the "do you
want X" dance.  It'd also be great if sysinst dynamically knew how
big the sets are (maybe from a config file - see the "NetBSD System
Packages" thread back in October 1998 in tech-install), so it could say
"Ooi, /usr isn't going to fit", depending of what sets we chosed, etc.

Simon.