From Bugzilla Helper: User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; T312461) Description of problem: The novice user learns of options and settings in the installer; that's where they are located in their minds. However, they can never get back there, including several very useful high-level options such as package groupings, without reinstalling the whole damn product! Why not allow the user to re-run the installer, not in upgrade mode, but in a "modify installation" mode where only the panels that can be changed post-install (including e.g. Firewall settings) are displayed, IDENTICAL to what they saw before, so they don't have to learn two different interfaces onto the same functionality. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Install the product 2. Decide you want to change something 3. Scream in frustration that you can't find that functionality again without re-installing the whole damn product (e.g. the firewall settings, lokkit isn't identical, or the package groupings) Actual Results: I felt like putting my fist through the monitor. Getting less painful in flat-panel days. Expected Results: 1. Install the product. 2. Decide I want to change something. 3. Rerun the installer, which is now a control panel application called "Modify Installation", and only includes panels and options that can be changed without reinstalling the whole product. Additional info: This is a no-brainer win win win. Don't shove this to the back burner. Do it. --Peter Jensen
Most of the screens in anaconda that can be made into stand-alone applications have been for the upcoming release. For example, the language, keyboard, mouse, firewall, rootpassword, and package screens are now all standalone apps. Although they are not available in the installer step-style framework after installation, it should not be hard to use the "Start-Here" control panel to find the tool you are looking for. Although it is not exactly what you're asking for, I think it gets most of the functionality that users need. This is a good idea, and thank you for your report.
Thanks for considering this suggestion. I think it would be helpful if you included in the notes on each anaconda panel where I can regain this functionality post-install, or at least where I can read about it (and giving me the option of bookmarking those points would be nice). There is no substitute for real usability testing. You may assume that only a certain level of technical acumen installs your product. If so, then you are also assuming that you are shipping a niche product...and your corporate growth will reflect this. Even dyed-in-the-wool nerds will follow the path of least resistance when setting up custom in a supplier. I ended up overcoming the unforgiving out-of-box in your version 7.3, but not before I had sworn never to touch Linux again. It doesn't have to be this way.