PreinstallPool

Summary

Provide uninstalled packages on preinstalled images, similar in function to the /pool/ directory on live images.

Release Note

Starting with Ubuntu 11.10, preinstall images may contain additional uninstalled packages, to support wider variability of use through advanced task selection, or enable additional networkless configuration for users with unusual needs.

Rationale

Often there are packages that may be essential at install time, yet are uninteresting for the majority of users. Some examples include specialised drivers that may be required to enable the network for the first time, or a minimal build environment to support post-install module compilation. Similar packages are available in live images, in the /pool/ directory.

User stories

  • Alice is booting an Ubuntu preinstalled image on her tablet, which requires additional out-of-archive network modules. She has been provided with dkms-enabled packages for the modules, and needs to build them in order to access the online repositories. She installs the available software which allows her to build the drivers.
  • Bob is booting Ubuntu on his set-top box, and needs to install the appropriate handlers for his video collection hardware, which varies by country. After Bob has selected the appropriate country in the first-run dialogs, software that matches the video transmission technologies prevalent in his region is installed.

  • Chris is booting Ubuntu on a development board with no networking. He has attached a broadcom USB WiFi dongle, and needs to install appropriate drivers and control software.

Assumptions

  • It is acceptable for these available packages to remain on the system until removed by the user

Design

You can have subsections that better describe specific parts of the issue.

Implementation

This section should describe a plan of action (the "how") to implement the changes discussed. Could include subsections like:

UI Changes

Should cover changes required to the UI, or specific UI that is required to implement this

Code Changes

Code changes should include an overview of what needs to change, and in some cases even the specific details.

Migration

Include:

  • data migration, if any
  • redirects from old URLs to new ones, if any
  • how users will be pointed to the new way of doing things, if necessary.

Test/Demo Plan

It's important that we are able to test new features, and demonstrate them to users. Use this section to describe a short plan that anybody can follow that demonstrates the feature is working. This can then be used during testing, and to show off after release. Please add an entry to http://testcases.qa.ubuntu.com/Coverage/NewFeatures for tracking test coverage.

This need not be added or completed until the specification is nearing beta.

Unresolved issues

This should highlight any issues that should be addressed in further specifications, and not problems with the specification itself; since any specification with problems cannot be approved.

BoF agenda and discussion

Use this section to take notes during the BoF; if you keep it in the approved spec, use it for summarising what was discussed and note any options that were rejected.

CategorySpec

ARM/Specs/PreinstallPool (last edited 2011-06-07 23:14:30 by p1140-ipbf5202marunouchi)