Validating the images is optional but I think it's useful to tell people how this is done for those that want it. That part could easily be rewritten to be optional and a recommendation only. That's my suggestion for this anyway. So something like:

Installation images distributed by Devuan are signed so that they can be verified as coming from Devuan. As an optional step you can verify images to let you know they have not been altered prior to you receiving them.

My preference would be for us not to repeat ourselves on the website in favour of simplicity, and instead just link to what we need in the intro.

About dd, I think that should be mentioned because otherwise users will look elsewhere and when it doesn't work they'll think our images are broken (this issue has come up before). So for users convenience and to be sure they are using dd correctly, we should provide those instructions.

Whilst we will have more information and documentation for new users, I don't think we should write Windows guides. I think that would lead us more in the direction of ubuntu and others who adopted systemd.

Cheers,

chillfan

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Tuesday, January 1, 2019 7:51 PM, <golinux@???> wrote:

> Hi Michael,
>

> Thanks for your thoughtful and detailed comments. Response inline
> below.
>

> On 2019-01-01 09:46, Michael wrote:
>

> > On Tuesday 01 January 2019 03:46:52 am golinux@??? wrote:
> >

> > > tweaking the install guides and adding one for the desktop-live gui
> > > install. You can start here:
> > > https://beta.devuan.org/os/documentation/install-guides/start-here.html
> >

> > Hi golinux,
> > These thoughts are from the angle of helping someone who’s never done
> > an
> > install of any OS before. My guess is most people haven’t, as when
> > buying a
> > new computer the OS is almost always already installed now days.
> > I’ve added stubs where I can, but do edit for better user clarity!
> >

> > #
> >

> > ==
> >

> > # Sections to Add:
> >

> > ===================
> >

> > = Which Release version is right for me?
> > Explain when/why they should choose ASCII or Jessie.
> > = {Explanation of the .iso naming scheme}
> > devuan_ascii_2.0.0_amd64_netinst.iso
> > ^^^ Who we are!
> > ^^^ The Release name
> > ^^^ The architecture
> > ^^^ The Installation image
> > Needs fixed width to line up properly...
> > = {Pathing walk through of how to find the right .iso}
>

> This useful information is beyond the scope of these INSTALL guides. But
> there are already pages on the website that cover much of it. Does it
> really need to be repeated?
> https://devuan.org/os/releases
> https://devuan.org/os/filenaming
>

> > # Section: Supported architectures
> >

> > ===================================
> >

> > Define what both of these mean.
> > amd64: 64-bit CPUs, used for both Intel and AMD consumer level CPUs.
> > I386: 32-bit CPUs, ???
>

> Again not really appropriate for the INSTALL guides. Hardware is soooo
> not my thing. If someone wants to do a write up, we can find a place for
> it somewhere on the website.
>

> > # Section: Installation images
> >

> > ===============================
> >

> > Rename to “What Installation image should I chose?”
>

> There has to be a more concise way of saying that. ;) Minimalism rules
> here. ;)
>

> > Add Subsection: One install with access to the Internet?
> > Use the `*_netinst.iso` which will install a base system then download
> > the
> > remaining packages during the installation process.
> > Add Subsection: Multiple installs or no access to the Internet during
> > install?
> > Choose the single `*_dvd-1.iso`. The image contains several desktop
> > choices
> > and additional software options. ...
>

> That information is already on the index and get-devuan pages of the
> website as well as one of the links posted above. Those who will not
> seek will not find.
>

> > # Section: Check the integrity of images
> >

> > =========================================
> >

> > Add how to for Windows. You can probably swipe Fedora’s? But someone
> > would
> > need to check both copyright concerns and that the instructions work.
> > https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fedora/18/html/Burning_ISO_images_to_disc/sect-Burning_ISO_images_to_disc-Validating_the_Files-Validating_at_the_Windows_Command_Prompt.html
>

> Could you possibly provide that information for inclusion?
>

> > # Check the integrity of images Vs. Verify the images
> >

> > ======================================================
> >

> > This isn’t my field, but??? If they’ve done a sha256sum, is there any
> > value
> > in checking a keychain? Or are these just two alternatives of the same
> > thing
> > and these two sections need to be sub-sections of the same section?
>

> I think they are alternative ways of verifying. I always do a sha256sum.
> Can someone please clarify?
>

> > # Section: Writing an image to a CD/DVD or USB drive
> >

> > =====================================================
> >

> > Okay, I hate giving people dd instructions, as one bad typo and they’ve
> > irrevocably wiped the wrong drive.
> > These instructions are much safer and
> > also allow the user to add scripts, commands, copies of .bashrc, and
> > any
> > other ‘stuff’ that they might want post install to the USB.
> > Creating a bootable Ubuntu USB flash drive from terminal
> > https://askubuntu.com/a/376430
> > There is one additional command needed. In the next to last step you
> > also
> > need to rename isolinux.bin to syslinux.bin.
> > This section also needs Windows instructions.
>

> I'll let others speak to the technical merit of these suggestions.
>

> In closing I just have to say . . . WOW! Windows, Ubuntu and Fedora
> mentioned in the same email. This has to be a first in all the years
> this list has existed. I must admit that pushed more than a few buttons
> . . .
>

> Cheers!
>

> > #
> >

> > ==
> >

> > Nice writeup, this will definitely help!
> > Best,
> > Michael
>

> Dng mailing list
> Dng@???
> https://mailinglists.dyne.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dng