Re: snapshots are broken

[Mark Valentine <mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Matthew Dillon <dillon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Sat 1 Nov, 2003
> Subject: Re: snapshots are broken

>     I think it's more a question as to whether we should attempt to package
>     a kernel onto a floppy as part of the make release process.  I would
>     argue that, likely, 95%+ of the people using DragonFly can either:
> 
> 	* boot from CD, or
> 	* netboot (PXE), or
> 	* just put bootblocks on a floppy which then boot off a BIOS
> 	  recognizes disk/CD, or
> 
>     And that the remaining people will know enough to be able to build a
>     custom kernel and install it on a floppy.  We could make this easier
>     by providing a 'imagekernel' target which goes the extra step of 
>     taking the kernel binary generated from a buildkernel and creating a
>     floppy image suitable for dd'ing.
> 
>     e.g. I don't think we need to integrate floppy generation as part of
>     make release. 

Well, as a proud member of several 5% minorities like everyone else around
here, I do often find that the first system I need to install any given BSD
release on is one of those that needs a network install from a boot floppy...

And I never seem to have a suitable host system (right release) to build a
custom kernel (it's probably only luck that I've always had a suitable system
handy to even mount kern.flp to echo -P >/boot.config); a WORKING cross-build
environment such as NetBSD almost has might make this easier, but it's still
way too much work - I'm quite happy building kernels, but I don't expect my
clients (for example) to be, just to install a BSD gateway or news server in
a heterogenous environment.

In short, I consider _easy_ creation of a serial console boot floppy which can
do a network install absolutely critical.

		Cheers,

		Mark.

-- 
"Tigers will do ANYTHING for a tuna fish sandwich."
"We're kind of stupid that way."   *munch* *munch*
  -- <http://www.calvinandhobbes.com>