[indiana-discuss] Definitions for "image" and more

[Iain MacDonnell]

Lynne Thompson wrote on 10/ 5/07 05:21 PM:
> Iain MacDonnell wrote:
> 
>>
>> Dave Miner wrote on 10/ 5/07 04:02 PM:
>>
>>> Lynne Thompson wrote:
>>>
>>>> The Indiana design documents introduce new terms or terms that might
>>>> not be familiar to many. I'll be collecting terms and definitions
>>>> into a glossary. Below are several definitions for terms that relate
>>>> to "image." The distribution constructor will be outputting images.
>>>> Describing how these images are different will be helpful to users.
>>>> Any changes necessary for the following definitions?
>>>>
>>>> image: A collection of software that comprises an entire operating
>>>> system.
>> I'd say it's not just a collection of software, but a packaging of that
>> collection and installation tools in a form suitable for installation. 
> 
> Then the definition of image would change to:
> A collection of software in a package that comprises an entire operating
> system. The package is suitable for installation.
> 
> 
>>
>>
>>>> ISO image: A collection of software that comprises an entire
>>>> operating system in a single file.  The ISO image can be made
>>>> available for distribution from the Internet.  The ISO image can be
>>>> burned to a CD or DVD for future installation.  The ISO image cannot
>>>> be installed on a system without first being burned to media.
>>>>
>>> The last sentence is true for now, but eventually won't be.
>>
>> It's not even completely true today, if you have either something
>> like VMware or something like the virtual CDROM drive our newer x64
>> servers (e.g. X4200) provide via the iLOM, both of which can allow
>> the use of an ISO image instead of a physical CD/DVD.
>>
>> ISO is actually short for ISO9660 - a filesystem standard designed for
>> CDROM. Nowadays, we use extensions to ISO9660 to allow things like long
>> filenames, but the point is that those images contain filesystems
>> suitable for creating a (bootable) CD or DVD. 
> 
> Is this an improved definition?
> 
> ISO image
> An ISO image is a standard designed for CD-ROM. This image is a 
> collection of software that comprises an entire operating system in a 
> single file.  The ISO image can be made available for distribution from 
> the Internet. An ISO image contains file systems suitable for creating a 
> bootable CD or DVD. The ISO image is bootable and is usable for 
> installation and other purposes.

In the case of CDROMs, I think we're up to about six for the entire
Solaris distribution, so it's one file *per CD*. Only the first CD needs
to be bootable, but that's probably too much detail. AFAIK, we still fit
everything on one DVD. Also, "An ISO image contains *a* filesystem..."
(one filesystem per ISO).

Otherwise, sounds better to me...

     ~Iain





>>> Both this and the USB image are in fact bootable images, though, 
>>> which isn't captured in the text, and they're usable for purposes 
>>> other than installation.
>>>
>>>> network installation image: A collection of software that comprises
>>>> the entire operating system. The image can be installed over a local
>>>> area network (LAN).
>>>>
>>>> USB image: An ISO image that can be burned to a USB flash drive for
>>>> future installation.
>>>>
>>> The USB image is not in ISO format, so that should be removed and see 
>>> the comment above about uses other than installation.
> 
> 
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