[indiana-discuss] A different take

[Eric Ray]

>> Indiana Core could be the absolute minimal functional system.
>> It would be a subset of ON plus a subset of Install--the bits
>> required to successfully boot to a console/text interface and to
>> upgrade the system from there. In Solaris terms, this would likely
>> define the list of packages that constitutes a minimal supported
>> system, plus a core set of drivers.
>>
>> Indiana Basic could be Indiana Core, plus the rest of ON,
>> plus more of Install, plus X, plus some reasonably friendly WM/Desktop
>> setup. Basically, a minimal usable system, to let someone
>> bootstrap themselves into their happy place. (E.g.,
>> # indiana-get -repository=gnu-bleeding-edge update-all or the
>> GUI equivalent)
>>

Ian Murdock wrote:
> 
> Yes, that's the current thinking, though we must do more than just
> build a base for others to take and leverage--that's just part of
> it. The other part is building a complete OS that people would
> actually want to use. The core by itself isn't going to be
> interesting. Indiana may not meet everyone's needs, but it should meet
> someone's.. Perhaps I'm just being thrown by your use of the term
> "basic". I think more of Indiana Core and Indiana, with the
> latter including the desktop etc. (and comprising the single CD).
> Otherwise, I'm in full agreement that this is the right way.
> 
> -ian

Ian,

Thanks for the support. I think it's critical for us to walk
before we run, and this might be a way to do that.

I actually think that Core would meet a very significant set of
needs, not the least of which would be providing a common
starting point for distros to be built on--from Belinix to
Schillix to even Solaris.next--and to have as a common
set of assumptions. It'd also (incidentially, but significantly)
help define what an "OpenSolaris" distro is or isn't--if it
is a clear superset of Core, it is. Otherwise, it isn't.

Basic might be "Indiana", but I actually doubt it--too
much is needed for "a complete OS that people would want
to use", and as we've seen, opinions differ on what the
key components are. For now, I'd like to see Basic as
"a functional GUI, based on Live DVD/CD, that people
can easily use to suck down the environment that they
really want", much like Dennis's gazelle, but probably
a little more than that. Indiana could easily be one
of the repositories that Basic looks to for content.
(Blastwave could be another...instead of, or in addition
to Indiana.)

I think that Indiana ends up as Basic + the set of software
that we've been arguing about, whatever the resolution
to that looks like.

Eric

-- 

Eric J. Ray
Software Engineering Manager
Solaris Install
Sun Microsystems
303-223-7843 (direct)/x81067
eric.ray at sun.com