Terminal multiplexer and text browser in installer
 

Would it be useful or even possible to have a terminal multiplexer like screen or tmux included with the installer, together with a browser like elinks, links or lynx?

People could then split screen or tmux to have raid or LVM instructions in the browser in one pane while the installer runs in the other.

Just an idea that came into my head today.

Possible certainly, but you can already read the instructions while installing. As son as (fakely) logged in as "root" do this:

• Press Alt+F2 to open another tty.
• Mount the DVD
  Code:

  ---

  mount /dev/sr0 /floppy # Adapt to an USB stick if need be. "lsblk" will tell you how it is named.

  ---

• Type:
  Code:

  ---

  less /floppy/README_LVM.TXT

  ---

• You can toggle between the installer and the document with Alt+F1 vs Alt+F2.

You can open a third tty (Alt+F3) to type commands, check some info on the system, etc.

The log is displayed on the 4th tty.

My initial reaction is that I probably wouldn't want my attention diverted from the installation procedure so as to keep me from messing something up due to inattention.

Plus, most distros install relatively quickly, so it's probably not worth the effort on the part of their maintainers to create something of this nature.

And, face it, this is Linux geeks we are talking about. Must of us have another computer somewhere.:)

Interesting idea, though.

I don't don't know if this still works but as others have pointed out you can switch VTs. I don't see why you would need more than three terminals in the installer, but I don't want to just say you're holding it wrong either.

In the past I have 'installed' a few small packages into the install environment, such as netpipes, and links. If you stick with small stuff from ap, and n that don't have lots of deps this works. Just switch to one of the other VTs locate where the install media has been mounted, /cdrom, and use installpkg like normal. It may work with screen as well.

Hi,

tmux could be of a value for remote installation:
1) your installation won't break if you get disconnected,
2) you can disconnect during installation, e.g. on slow connection, to save bandwidth.

--
Best regards,
Andrzej Telszewski