#221 Installer session scoping/implementation
Closed: Won't fix 2 years ago by aday. Opened 3 years ago by aday.

In #211 we came up with two potential approaches for improving the installer and live sessions (that ticket also includes goals for this initiative).

Since we've agreed that either of these approaches seems acceptable from a workstation perspective, the next step is to go over what would be required to implement each one, and then potentially reach out to relevant parties to discuss the proposals.

Design approaches

Triple session

  • Live media boots into a "welcome session". gnome-initial-setup starts, shows:
    • Language selection
    • Input source selection
    • Do you want to try or install?
  • If install is selected, a new "installer session" starts, in which Anaconda runs
  • If try is selected, a new standard live session starts

Mockups

Double session

  • Live media boots into the "installer session". Anaconda starts:
    • First page is language selection
    • Second page asks whether the user wants to try or install
    • If the user selects install, the installer continues
  • If the user selects "try", a new standard live session starts

Mockups

Required changes

Does the following sound right? Are there any steps that are particularly easy/difficult?

Both approaches

Both the double and triple session options would require the following changes:

  • Create a separate installer live session, in which Anaconda autostarts. This session would be locked down, in the same way as the existing gnome-initial-setup session.
  • Anaconda changes:
    • Switch from running full-screen to unmaximized
    • Drop input source switching in favour of that provided by gnome-shell?
    • When installation has completed, show a restart action

Double session

In addition to the "both approaches" changes, the double session would require the following:

  • Anaconda changes:
    • Add a try/install question page, after language selection. Have this trigger the full live session, if try is selected.
  • Live session to pick up language and input source settings made in the installer

Triple session

In addition to the "both approaches" changes, the triple session would require the following:

  • Create a separate "welcome" live session
  • gnome-initial-setup changes:
    • Add a welcome session mode, which makes it show a separate set of pages than normal
    • Add a new try/install question page
  • Have the installer and live sessions pick up the language and input source settings from the welcome assistant
  • Anaconda changes:
    • Don't show the language selection page - launch at the install options step instead

I know this is mostly focused on GNOME, but I think @appadeia would also be interested in this for KDE (as they are working on kiss as part of improving Fedora KDE in the same way).

From my own perspective, I think either the "double session" or "triple session" model makes sense. The "double session" model has the benefit of being more broadly reusable for other spins, while the "triple session" model provides a more "pure desktop" live environment experience.

From my own perspective, I think either the "double session" or "triple session" model makes sense. The "double session" model has the benefit of being more broadly reusable for other spins, while the "triple session" model provides a more "pure desktop" live environment experience.

The key functional difference between those approaches is that, in the double session, the user doesn't go through input source configuration before starting the full live session.

I think the advantage of the triple session approach is that it requires fewer anaconda changes.

I don't particularly like having this ticket sitting around not doing anything, but I'm not sure what to do with it. Maybe I should file an issue against anaconda with the details...

Metadata Update from @aday:
- Issue tagged with: pending-action

3 years ago

Removing pending-action - unclear what role these design concepts have given Anaconda's move to Patternfly.

Metadata Update from @aday:
- Issue untagged with: pending-action

2 years ago

Anaconda is being redesigned and I'm participating in discussions around that. I don't think we need this ticket any more.

Metadata Update from @aday:
- Issue close_status updated to: Won't fix
- Issue status updated to: Closed (was: Open)

2 years ago

My top ask would be to make sure the new design allows both language and keyboard layout selected to be disabled via the existing config file, so that we can move them to before the live session starts, rather than handling them later.

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