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Base Artix Install

Hello, guys

Just a little question: any plans to provide an install script for the base images? It would be really awesome while lowering the entry threshold for those (or simply non-tech users) who want to build their own Arch-based distro. I mean to avoid all these mkfs and basestrap/chroot stages. Is it possible some time in the future?

Re: Base Artix Install

Reply #1 –
The first problem I see with a fully automated install script is precisely related to disk. One-size-fits-all is not a good approach here. What is the name of the device you'll be installing to? Is it a sda-something or a nvme-something? is it empty or do you have some other OS or data partition that maybe you want to keep? Is there more than one drive? Which fs do you want your root to be? Do you want a separate /home or not? Should /home be the same fs type as / or not? How large do you want your swap, or do you even want a swap at all? And so on.

Re: Base Artix Install

Reply #2 –
Quote from: TheExplorer – on
Hello, guys

Just a little question: any plans to provide an install script for the base images? It would be really awesome while lowering the entry threshold for those (or simply non-tech users) who want to build their own Arch-based distro. I mean to avoid all these mkfs and basestrap/chroot stages. Is it possible some time in the future?
I can appreciate the question as it could be a logical step however, let me ask you this...

1. Would a non-tech user, understand the diffs between the various inits that Artix offers?
2. To the above, would that same would-be user, know what to do when adding services and how to start them?

IMHO, if the would-be user does not understand what to do about/add/remove any of the inits or even understand why they would opt to try Artix,  then having an easy install would be pointless.

Again, that's just my opinion and does not really matter much. To me, the devs have enough on their hands without introducing something else to the mix.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Re: Base Artix Install

Reply #4 –
Knowing which disk to partition, and how, then creating filesystems, requires some experience and knowledge.

Unless the script is to have the ability to decide for itself which disk to repartition (hello data loss) then the user of the script will have to supply such information. Either as arguments to the script or input as the script runs.

A 'non-tech' user is probably going to supply the wrong information or have no clue what information to supply.

So the script would not likely benefit 'non-tech' users. Users with just enough knowledge to be dangerous would regularly come on here stating that "Your !$&! script destroyed my computer". When in fact they'd done it to themselves.

So a very bad idea imho.
Quote
I mean to avoid all these mkfs and basestrap/chroot stages
If that seems too daunting or troublesome just use the gui iso's.

It is of course possible to create such a script for yourself. Just go through https://wiki.artixlinux.org/Main/Installation#Fresh_Artix_installation_from_bootable_media and scriptify it.

Re: Base Artix Install

Reply #5 –
I would be curious if complete system images can be done at least more easily than a full install script, cause then you just have to decompress the partition to disk and point grub to it, 2 steps instead of 1 but you get the point.

For right now you can install a GUI iso and then just do pacman -Rns on the desktop environment to cleanly get rid of it.

Re: Base Artix Install

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Hitman – on
I would be curious if complete system images can be done at least more easily than a full install script,.
Even with an compressed rootfs you'd still have to setup the usual (host, timezone, locale etc).
So that would equate very closely to artix-bootstrap.

I know archinstall exists but that is aimed at experienced users AFAIK and Arch have the benefit of only one (shit) init to support.

I encourage users to try and install either with a base iso or just artix-bootstrap from a current install.
But strongly believe they should then set up the rest of the system themselves.
You learn nothing running a script.

Re: Base Artix Install

Reply #8 –
Such click and go has been the dream for decades.   It is solved with preinstalled systems and/or vigorous draconian control of hardware (like Apple).