Description of problem: It is difficult to know which packages appear on which CDs during installation. Many users (myself included) download CD images via a modem connection or a limited-download service, and doing less downloading is preferable. This is not a problem if the user has all three CDs. To fix this problem I would suggest a page asking the user if she has all CDs available. If "no" is chosen, the user can select which of the CDs she has. Packages which are unavailable to the user should be greyed out or marked unavailable. Workaround 1: - get all 3 CDs Workaround 2: - prior to installation, find a mounted image on FTP of the missing discs and study their packages so you can avoid selecting them during installation Workaround 3: - flip back-and-forth when installing, trying to remove the pesky package that makes you require disc 3 (just by guessing which it might be). - Note: the text installer makes it difficult to go back once you have made your package selection and are told which discs are required. Non-Workaround: (fails) - Continue with installation after being warned you need a disc you dont have. When it finally prompts you for that disc, give up and reset the computer. (there is no "continue anyway" option) Workaround summary: All these workarounds are far from ideal. Anaconda is a user's first impression of Fedora, and if installation fails it may be their only impression. Dream situation: (for the poor person with only 2-discs) 1. Anaconda quietly notes that only 2 of 3 discs were testing before the main installation began. 2. Anaconda prompts the user before package selection firstly asking if they have all 3 discs. 3. if NO, it secondly asks which discs she has (here it should default the ones that were noted in step 1). 4. At this point there should also be an option to find out which disc is which by inserting it (for those whose malicious friends gave them unlabelled CDs.. hey, dont look at me) 5. If not all CDs are available at the user should be asked how to proceed: a. remove/hide all unavailable packages from selection, b. automatically download missing packages AFTER installation is complete, AFTER first boot into the OS. c. automatically download missing packages DURING installation. 6. These 3 options should also appear during installation after a user is prompted for a disc which she is unable to supply. Thanks for taking this enhancement request seriously. Linux's adoption by ordinary users depends largely on the ease of its installation. And first impressions are made quickly. Peter Halasz. [Still downloading the third ISO over a modem. Only 6 hours to go.]
We do a little bit better about warning you about this now.