[Freedombox-discuss] [Freedom Box] Finding your FB box on the network

[Jonas Smedegaard]

On Thu, Oct 21, 2010 at 10:30:55PM +0200, Christian Brædstrup wrote:
>[...] I have used the live-helper package to build the live system 
>until now but decided a couple of hours ago [...] to try the live-build 
>package so I can use the live-installer package. That would keep the 
>install system in the same "base" (all stock Debian) and I think that 
>is the way to go. Like you say the docs are out-of-date and scares but 
>the support base is strongere then the alternative (FAI or Hand-off) 
>and its all maintained by Debian.

It makes perfect sense to me that you try to find the tools that most 
elegantly handle configuration file customization for you.

That last phease worries me, though:

Debian-live being maintained by Debian does not make systems produces by 
that tool more "Debian". The use of "all stock Debian" packages are only 
part of the puzzle - reliability in the installed system requires also 
that configuration files are edited only by install scripts of its owner 
package - i.e. tuned only through debconf (or other mechanisms provided 
by the owner package).

So if you are talking about best way to create mockups for our use 
during development of the FreedomBox, then go ahead and use whatever 
fancies you - even non-free stuff if that is helpful to you.

But if you are talking about best way to create final FreedomBox systems 
then beware of what rules you are bound by: If you act as an admin, 
editing any and all files below /etc similar to how you would a system 
of your own, and then afterwards pass on that system to another user, 
then that other user do not have a reliable Debian system, but a system 
with you as co-admin.

The only reliable approach, I believe, is to act as a distributor, 
obeying the Debian Policy just as all Debian packages are mandated to 
do: Do not edit config files directly, but instead ask the packages to 
edit their configurations via their debconf interfaces.


I apologize ahead if I am too thickheaded and have completely 
misunderstood your intended use of debian-live.


Regards,

  - Jonas

-- 
  * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt
  * Tlf.: +45 40843136  Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

  [x] quote me freely  [ ] ask before reusing  [ ] keep private
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