WebSite Information > Article Discussions

How to improve the installer of OS/2?

(1/4) > >>

Martin Iturbide:
This looks like an interesting discussion topic that ecomstation.ru is asking.

For what I see on other OSes, it seems that is a tendency to simplify the install procedure. The user no longer choose what should be installed or not on the OS.

It seems that the standard options on OS installation to ask the user is:
a) Easy Install, grabs all the free unpartitioned space on the HDD and install the OS there.
or
b) Advanced install, gives you the option to install the OS on the partition you choose and options to resize partitions.

And that's all...

Of course that there are installers that allows the user to create their own personalized installer of the OS to create their own install image.

I'm not sure if it is right or wrong for the OS2-eCS platform to have an GUI installer without asking which software or drivers to install, but "that menu that I forgot the name" that loads before the GUI installer when you can select which drivers to boot the installation CD is a must have.

If there is some interest maybe it can be good to discuss the idea. What can it be improved on the installer?

Pete:
Hi Martin

I gather we are discussing the eCS installer.

What definitely could be improved are simple things: I always *deselect* the following:-

1] DOS/WinOS2 support. At the end of install there are DOS/WINOS2 lines in config.sys and the directory \os2\mdos exists and contains some, but not all DOS/WINOS2, files.

2] All forms of java - but java11 gets installed and has entries in config.sys

I also have to change the line PROTECTONLY=NO to PROTECTONLY=YES

I am sure there were a few other moans but, basically, the current installer should honour the users choice; that would be an improvement.


Regards

Pete



Dave Yeo:
Personally I like having choices and as most OS/2 users are fairly advanced users, I'd guess most of them can handle having choices as well.
I really don't like the dumbing down of the few recent Linux installers I've used, especially as to make them co-exist with OS/2 means things like installing grub on /boot, something that used to be easy when choosing the advanced install option.
Nothing wrong with having a simple install route as well.
Also as Pete says, the installer as is needs some bug fixes.

Joop:
I don't understand this. We don't need installers.
The OS/2 directory is only for stuff which belongs to OS/2. Rest of the programs, drivers, dll's in the eCS directory.-
All the important directories are already in the config.sys.
What's left is create a directory for the program, drop the files there. Put it on your desktop or in a menu, ready.



Eugene Gorbunoff:
When new driver is created for OS/2, the installer is updated (should be updated).

If user interface is updated then the installer should be updated.

If new utilities are created then it's necessary add this files to CD1 and update the installer.


Usually the users are using the system without significant modifications.


Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

Go to full version