[Freedombox-discuss] don't write code - user-friendly configuration

[Matthew Johnson]

On Mon Sep 06 01:12, Anthony Towns wrote:
> I don't think we're likely to have the privilege of just targeting a
> single bit of hardware though -- more likely we'll end up doing the
> usual Debian/free software thing of working on just about anything
> people can think of.
> 
> Rather than try to fight that, maybe we can move the "configuration"
> step earlier, so instead of getting a box and some Debian media and
> telling the two how to cooperate, you get a box, go to the Debian
> website and tell it what you've got, and then you get given exactly
> what you need (eg a firmware image and any necessary instructions).
> For devices/resellers that support Debian directly, this could be done
> at the factory/retailer.

Yeah, the ones sold as freedom boxes will have this done for you

> Having (a) DHCP+a captive portal if there's not currently a DHCP
> server on the network, or (b) an automatic dyndns-style registration
> using its serial number (sn3141592.freebox.org) if it's on the
> internet, or (c) a special program that uses a custom UDP protocol to
> find the freedom box on the local network would probably work. Relying
> on an existing DHCP server to have an updateable DNS server locally
> seems a lot to ask.

Yup, if we can't get it to just captive gateway you, or to just appear as
"freebox" in your resolver, registering it as serial.freebox.org would probably
be an alternative 

> >  - The website reached asks you some simple questions like:
> 
> Wouldn't it be better if it just "worked" straight away? Your toaster
> doesn't ask you how you like your toast -- you plug it in, put the
> toast in, press the button, and then fiddle later if it ended up
> burnt...
> 
> Plug it in, and voila you have a working freedom box. You pick the
> "Freedom-12345" wlan that's suddenly appeared, and you get a page that
> lets you create a new email address, or host a website, or a blog, or
> a microblog, or a photo/music/movie album, or aggregate stuff from
> your friends, or admin the freedom box, or you can tell the captive
> portal to bugger off and just let you access the internet properly.

Yeah, sure Just Working is good, that's pretty much what I was getting at. It
should definitely have a 'become my old freebox' option though. Those are the
sort of things I was thinking it would ask. If it can get along without any
configuration at all, that's definitely superior.

Matt
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