Launchpad Entry: ubuntu-mid-live-installer
Created: 2008-09-25
Contributors: EmmetHikory
Packages affected: ubiquity, debian-installer, seed collections, ubuntu-mid-default-settings
Summary
There should be a means to install Ubuntu MID from a live environment. As with Desktop installs with the LiveCD, users should be able to test that Ubuntu MID works with their hardware and meets their use cases before committing to an install. Once such testing is complete, said install should be simple to perform.
Release Note
For those interested in previewing Ubuntu MID prior to installation, a combined live environment / installer image has been created, allowing for verification of support for the available features of the hardware prior to install, and installation of a complete system with a single dual-function image.
Rationale
Testing with install images is frustrating, and the user experience of installing from fully working source environment is vastly superior to running the curses front-end of debian-installer. Further, for devices with only limited keyboard entry, having a GUI-based install, with working assistance tools for pen-based text entry is critical to ensuring successful install.
Use Cases
- Alice had just purchased a new MID, and wonders if Ubuntu supports the hardware. She tries the Ubuntu MID image, and likes it. She starts the installation wizard, and Ubuntu MID is installed on her hardware.
- Bob's MID has a hardware device not supported by Ubuntu. Bob performs an install from the live environment, installs additional software from a USB key, and reboots into a working system.
- Chris has a MID with no keyboard, and needs an installation method that can be performed entirely with the touchscreen.
Assumptions
- The design of Ubiquity as used in the LiveCDs is sufficiently flexible and robust that it works well for the Ubuntu MID environment.
- Users installing with this tool have resolutions of at least 800x600
Design
The live images will contain ubiquity, with appropriate preseeding and manifest files to support installation.
Implementation
- Addition of ubiquity and casper to the images, and construction to match the live CDs.
- lpia support in debian-installer components: partman-efi, partman, grub-installer, partman-partitioning
- lpia support in ubiquity, and appropriate selection of boot loader
- preseeding adjustments in user-setup to allow preseeding blank passwords
- special hinting in casper to run ubiquity in --automatic mode
UI Changes
- No UI changes planned for this spec. Later UI improvements may be considered in a separate spec.
Code Changes
- Several debian-installer components would benefit from small adjustments to properly support lpia.
- Architecture-specific hints in the platform.intrepid and ubuntu.intrepid seeds should be adjusted to support lpia.
Migration
- There is no planned migration. Users of existing installs may simply upgrade to newer releases. Users of new installs may use the new installation method.
Test/Demo Plan
Outstanding Issues
- Not all devices support 600 vertical pixels
- An alternate CD allowing installation of Ubuntu MID from d-i would be good for special cases