[wlug_org] Re: [wellylug] Installfest flyers

[Mark Foster]

> * Moved thread to org list - please continue there *
>
>
> On Tue, 2005-09-06 at 15:06 +1200, Mark Foster wrote:
>> A specified Min Spec is a must. Speaking from Multiple Installfests.
>> Spending all day on a 486 because Linux has been touted as the 'reviver
>> for old PCs' isn't fun.  The bottleneck is usually in slow hardware and
>> the sheer waiting time.
>
> You have some good points here. You've got more experience than me at
> installfests. :-)

I've Helped to Coordinate 2 in Auckland.


>> We used to set a min spec of ~500Mhz with 128MB without X, 1Ghz and
>> 256Mb
>> for an X install. (For example. Numbers are rough and from memory).
>
> How does this sound?
>
> TEXT INSTALL:
> - 200Mhz CPU
> - 64MB RAM
> - 1GB disk space
>
> (not much is needed, and a text install is nice and quick)

I'd still spec it up to say 400mhz/128mb ram.
The 'nice and quick' doesnt apply when the average CDROM supplied in a
200Mhz Machine is likely to be sub-12x.


> GRAPHICAL INSTALL
> - 600Mhz CPU
> - 128MB RAM
> - 2GB or 3GB diskspace? Distros can vary heaps in size. I'm not sure of
> the size of the latest mandrake or suse installs.

I dare say the disk space required is distro-specific and that maybe we
should say 4gb or better.

>
> (my gnome 2.8 install runs using only around 117MB of ram, whilst
> running evolution email, a webserver and a terminal. 128MB, is not
> lightning fast, but it will run a GUI quite happily.)
>
> there are a large amount of computers running around with 128MB of ram,
> from only a couple of years ago, when all computers with winXP came with
> only 128MB of ram. We don't want to alienate these people from having a
> GUI.

You can easily add a disclaimer suggesting that whilst it is realised that
the spec supplied is inexcess of the minimum requirement, that a line has
to be drawn somewhere in the interests of 'not being there all day', and
that there may be a little bit of flexibility on the day.

And that should a senior installer say 'sorry, no, will take too long' or
'wont work', that thats fine, and the guy can take the media away or
arrange anotehr time to get an assisted install done (where theres no time
pressure).

Likewise people with slow systems should be encouraged to arrive sooner
rather than later.

Oh and re the Legalese, NZLUG^H^H^H^H^HAuckLUG had a bit of paper that
users signed. A disclaimer stating 'all care, no responsibility', and that
Backups were the users responsibility.  We can do our best, but thats all,
so we make ourselves liable for nothing in that respect.

Ultimately commonsense rules. Especially when we're screwing with someones
partition tables. (No use of Pirated Partition Magic, either!)

Mark.