GfxbootUpdate

Differences between revisions 1 and 18 (spanning 17 versions)
Revision 1 as of 2009-11-13 23:32:45
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Editor: airband-66-226-254-254
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Revision 18 as of 2009-11-26 15:34:42
Size: 4493
Editor: 82-69-40-219
Comment: draft
Deletions are marked like this. Additions are marked like this.
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## page was renamed from Lucid/SyslinuxUpdate
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 * '''Launchpad Entry''': UbuntuSpec:foo  * '''Launchpad Entry''': UbuntuSpec:foundations-lucid-gfxboot-update
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 * '''Contributors''':
 * '''Packages affected''': syslinux
 * '''Contributors''': ColinWatson, EvanDandrea, MatTomasewski, MichaelForrest
 * '''Packages affected''': `gfxboot-theme-ubuntu`
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This spec describes proposed changes and improvements to Syslinux in Ubuntu Lucid. This spec describes proposed changes and improvements to gfxboot-theme-ubuntu in Ubuntu Lucid.
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This section should include a paragraph describing the end-user impact of this change. It is meant to be included in the release notes of the first release in which it is implemented. (Not all of these will actually be included in the release notes, at the release manager's discretion; but writing them is a useful exercise.)

It is mandatory.
The appearance and usability of the CD boot loader has been gently polished.
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 * Styling (logo, colors) does not reflect recent changes to Ubuntu boot and desktop
 * Automatic timeout in the initial language selection screen can cause unintended language selection
 * User is presented with too many choices in the main menu screen, some of which are only useful in rare situations and only meaningful to technical users
 * The wording "Try Ubuntu without any changes to your computer" is awkward and potentially confusing
 * Hints appearing at the bottom (e.g. "Press F4 to select alternative start-up and installation modes") do not provide any added value for advanced users and may prove confusing to beginner users
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- Styling (logo, colors) does not reflect recent changes to Ubuntu boot and desktop
- User is presented with too many choices in the main menu screen, some of which are only useful in rare situations and only meaningful to technical users
- The wording "Try Ubuntu without any changes to your computer" is awkward and potentially confusing
Refer to UbuntuSpec:hardy-bootloader-review for background, since this is not the first time we have undertaken polish work on the CD boot loader and there is some history here.

Constraints:
 * It's hard to change the language on the fly during a GNOME session; switching the language of running GTK+ applications is decidedly non-trivial
 * The timeout exists for two reasons: firstly, to let people walk away and have the system boot automatically in English; secondly, because some USB keyboards are known not to be usable in `syslinux`, and so without a timeout some systems would be entirely unbootable
 * Note that blind users have to enter the F5 menu anyway (we provide directions) to enable accessibility options at boot, so they aren't relying on the timeout
 * Graphics can be changed easily; fonts can be replaced but it's much easier if the metrics are identical
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== Assumptions == Joseph burned the Ubuntu CD and wants to test compatibility with his new laptop which has Windows preinstalled. He chooses "Try Ubuntu without installing" to run the live session.

Federico wants to install Ubuntu on his old family PC, which previously had Windows on it. He chooses Brazilian Portuguese from the language selection screen and "Install Ubuntu" from the main menu.

Mikhail wants to install Ubuntu on his friend's old PC. He chooses to check disks for defects and test memory prior to installation. There are issues with graphics hardware, but X automatically notices this at boot time and falls back to VESA.
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Proposed changes:
- Update the Ubuntu logo and colors to match the current styling
- Change the wording in the first option to "Try Ubuntu without installing"
- Move "Check disc for defects", "Test memory" and "Boot from first hard disc" into the "Other options menu"
=== General ===
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== Implementation == Update the Ubuntu logo and colours to match the current styling.
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This section should describe a plan of action (the "how") to implement the changes discussed. Could include subsections like: Replace "Safe graphics mode" with bullet-proof X, but automatically fall back to VESA rather than asking since the system is known to be unconfigured.
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=== UI Changes === === Greeter ===
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Should cover changes required to the UI, or specific UI that is required to implement this Instead of relying on the boot loader to choose between the two major paths "Try Ubuntu" and "Install Ubuntu", the Desktop Experience team will develop a display manager greeter that offers this choice.
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=== Code Changes === === Initial language selection ===
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Code changes should include an overview of what needs to change, and in some cases even the specific details. If the new greeter lands, then insert a "press any key"-type message before the main gfxboot menu (this requires some kind of iconic representation, since we do not yet know the user's language) with a five-second timeout, and drop the 30-second timeout from the main menu.
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=== Migration === === Main menu ===
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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.
Change the wording in the first option to "Try Ubuntu without installing". (The design team will confirm final text for this option.)

Remove the "Press F4 ..." hint.
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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. The design team will use daily builds to verify appropriate appearance; milestones are too infrequent for quick iterations. Fetch daily builds from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ and use something like `kvm -m 512 -cdrom lucid-desktop-i386.iso`, or (perhaps preferably) use [[https://launchpad.net/testdrive|testdrive]].
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This need not be added or completed until the specification is nearing beta. == Future work ==
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== 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.
Add a "troubleshoot" option to the greeter with options such as testing for CD defects, bad blocks, memory errors, etc. (Note that this will not really replace the boot-loader-level options: the more code you have to execute from the CD, the more likely it is that you'll run into a CD defect before being able to run the test!)

Summary

This spec describes proposed changes and improvements to gfxboot-theme-ubuntu in Ubuntu Lucid.

Release Note

The appearance and usability of the CD boot loader has been gently polished.

Rationale

Current issues:

  • Styling (logo, colors) does not reflect recent changes to Ubuntu boot and desktop
  • Automatic timeout in the initial language selection screen can cause unintended language selection
  • User is presented with too many choices in the main menu screen, some of which are only useful in rare situations and only meaningful to technical users
  • The wording "Try Ubuntu without any changes to your computer" is awkward and potentially confusing
  • Hints appearing at the bottom (e.g. "Press F4 to select alternative start-up and installation modes") do not provide any added value for advanced users and may prove confusing to beginner users

Refer to hardy-bootloader-review for background, since this is not the first time we have undertaken polish work on the CD boot loader and there is some history here.

Constraints:

  • It's hard to change the language on the fly during a GNOME session; switching the language of running GTK+ applications is decidedly non-trivial
  • The timeout exists for two reasons: firstly, to let people walk away and have the system boot automatically in English; secondly, because some USB keyboards are known not to be usable in syslinux, and so without a timeout some systems would be entirely unbootable

  • Note that blind users have to enter the F5 menu anyway (we provide directions) to enable accessibility options at boot, so they aren't relying on the timeout
  • Graphics can be changed easily; fonts can be replaced but it's much easier if the metrics are identical

User stories

Joseph burned the Ubuntu CD and wants to test compatibility with his new laptop which has Windows preinstalled. He chooses "Try Ubuntu without installing" to run the live session.

Federico wants to install Ubuntu on his old family PC, which previously had Windows on it. He chooses Brazilian Portuguese from the language selection screen and "Install Ubuntu" from the main menu.

Mikhail wants to install Ubuntu on his friend's old PC. He chooses to check disks for defects and test memory prior to installation. There are issues with graphics hardware, but X automatically notices this at boot time and falls back to VESA.

Design

General

Update the Ubuntu logo and colours to match the current styling.

Replace "Safe graphics mode" with bullet-proof X, but automatically fall back to VESA rather than asking since the system is known to be unconfigured.

Greeter

Instead of relying on the boot loader to choose between the two major paths "Try Ubuntu" and "Install Ubuntu", the Desktop Experience team will develop a display manager greeter that offers this choice.

Initial language selection

If the new greeter lands, then insert a "press any key"-type message before the main gfxboot menu (this requires some kind of iconic representation, since we do not yet know the user's language) with a five-second timeout, and drop the 30-second timeout from the main menu.

Change the wording in the first option to "Try Ubuntu without installing". (The design team will confirm final text for this option.)

Remove the "Press F4 ..." hint.

Test/Demo Plan

The design team will use daily builds to verify appropriate appearance; milestones are too infrequent for quick iterations. Fetch daily builds from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ and use something like kvm -m 512 -cdrom lucid-desktop-i386.iso, or (perhaps preferably) use testdrive.

Future work

Add a "troubleshoot" option to the greeter with options such as testing for CD defects, bad blocks, memory errors, etc. (Note that this will not really replace the boot-loader-level options: the more code you have to execute from the CD, the more likely it is that you'll run into a CD defect before being able to run the test!)


CategorySpec

Lucid/GfxbootUpdate (last edited 2010-02-26 15:21:42 by 82-69-40-219)