[Rule-list] Roadmap and subprojects

[Marco Fioretti]

Hello,

after the first week of discussions, and first results from all those
who started to work on anaconda,  let's try to define in more detail
what needs to be done.

Prerequisites

Compatibility, at least in the sense that one can upgrade whatever we
release with stock RPMs provided by Red Hat is essential. The reasons 
have been stated in the web pages already, the most important being
that we want schools and in general people with null or very little
budgets to enter Free Software world as a first class citizens, i.e.
using the same SW/support forums/online documentation available to
who can afford new computers.

With this in mind, we seem to have two distinct subprojects to work on.

FIRST SUBPROJECT
The first one "simply" consists in modifying Anaconda so that it works
in less than 32 MB of RAM. This should fit in one or more boot floppies,
and apart from RAM needs, do nothing or very little different from what
we have today, using standard RH CDs and existing installation options.

With this, we finally tear down the 32 MB entry limit, but still leave
to the end user the burden of choosing and fitting packages to have an
useable system.

This installer must be totally compatible with what exists today, to
make as easy as possible to Red Hat to use it as their official product
as soon as possible (if they want, of course!).


SECOND SUBPROJECT

We select packages according to *our* guidelines, generate custom comp
files, etc... to have a one disk ISO image. By installing that, users
will have a complete slim server or desktop as defined in the web pages.
It will still have standard RH kernel, RPMs, libraries and such, to 
guarantee that you can still put in the Red Hat CDs of the same version,
and upgrade without troubles to any configuration you want.

What will Red Hat do of this second thing?

Well, I *do* hope that if we do it well, and the difference between
our ISO and the two official discs will be reasonably small
(like we have some megs of extra RPMs, custom comps and post install 
scripts) it will be possible to fit them in the official CDs, and
actually add that other install option we miss, without touching the
others.

If Red Hat decides for any reason that this can't happen, no problem.

We will still have the light, useable system we miss today, and
guarantee that anybody can easily switch to the boxed set later on.
(Later on meaning also "guarantee that as many people as possible
have been made familiar with the *right* kind of software when they
are asked for the first time what to buy for home or business..")

	Ciao,
			Marco Fioretti

P.S.: I will enable developer access tonight. Anybody still needing it,
contact me directly, please




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