It would be extremely useful if you could specify "@default" in the %packages section of a kickstart file to get the default package set that anaconda would install if you clicked through the package selection screen without modifying anything. Actually, it would also be useful if the other install classes were exposed for use in kickstart as well, but that might be a different bug.
We definitely definitely definitely shouldn't have some pseudo @default group; if something like this were to be done, it should be %packages --default or somesuch. Hackish overrides of @ lead to nothing but pain (... cf @Everything :-) We can probably do this now that we inherit from the "default" install class. Really doing it nicely means getting kickstart to not be an install class
Okay, forget the pseudo-package-group idea. It's gross anyway. %packages --default would be a fine solution.
This will be supported in the next build of anaconda+pykickstart. As is our way, you actually have two options for specifying this. First, you can just not have any %packages section at all. The install class's defaults will be selected. Second, you can do %packages --default if you want to be more explicit about it.
I wonder if the change in behavior for a missing %packages section will surprise people. Personally I don't think it'll be an issue. Anyway, this works like a charm. Thanks!