[debian-devel:12192] Re: i18n'd boot-floppies ?

[Taketoshi Sano <kgh12351@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi.

  at 29 Apr 2000 14:30:59 -0400,
 Adam Di Carlo <adam@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> The problem is to reduce the font sizes, isn't it, not to squirrel out
> a little space from root.bin.

I think that the font file size is very big problem for us, as one of
users who deadly needs the CJK support.

> > >    - rescue disk -- syslinux messages (i386 at least)
> 
> > syslinux does not allow to have same messages in different languages!  So
> > should we want to allow a non-English speaker see syslinux messages in her
> > own language, we have (!) to create a localized version of rescue disk.
> 
> That's what I thought.

We, Debian JP, has built our own local rescue disk for bo, hamm, and slink.
For potato, we have no plan to 'release' such beast currently, but some
members keep doing the work for preparation and testing in order to build 
such floppies, based on current cvs version of official Debian b-f code.

At least, I expect that one of our JP members (and one of long waiting
Debian applicants -- he sent his first application about 2 years ago --)
Hatta Shuzo <hattas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, works on this task.

> > >    - root disk -- dbootstrap msgs, addressed by your work
> 
> > It's not ready for use.  Again, I rely on a very specific things: a framebuffer
> > capable kernel and dbootstrap running under bterm.
> 
> Interesting.  Are there test versions built this way?

For i386, compact flavor which is provided by Randolph, does have 
framebuffer console facility.

What is needed to run dbootstrap under bterm ? How bterm is different
from normal console ?

the unofficial JP local disks for bo, hamm, slink, used 'kon' (kon2 package)
the kanji console using VGA graphic mode and some specific font files.
I think (I haven't touched the development of those, so I don't know detail)
those used the same code for dbootstrap as Debian official.

Currently the work to build unofficial japanese version is based on
running normal dbootstrap code on jfbterm with xfonts-(base,75dpi,cjk),
and the frame buffer kernel such as compact flavor.

> Do you think we could provide a root disk compiled with i18n as a new
> 'i18n' flavor on i386?

vanilla kernel does not provide us the frame buffer capability,  so hardwares 
which is not supported by compact flavor (ex. no FPU machines) may require
such new flavor.

# I have checked ja version with my private kernel configurations
# on my old 486SX notebook.

> Well, we have two choices:
> 
>   - no i18n of rescue disk
> 
>   - build one rescue disk per language
> 
> Neither are very nice.

Yes. 

> Oh well, we can just let the local teams provide l10n'd versions of
> the rescue disk unofficially if they want...

We, JP team (including me, of course), hope to avoid the unofficial
versions of b-f, but it has seems to be very difficult theme for potato.

In article <20000429233708.A12057@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
 Michael Sobolev <mss@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> On Sat, Apr 29, 2000 at 02:30:59PM -0400, Adam Di Carlo wrote:
> > > It's not ready for use.  Again, I rely on a very specific things: a framebuffer
> > > capable kernel and dbootstrap running under bterm.
> > 
> > Interesting.  Are there test versions built this way?
> Well, if you mean a rescue floppy, then no.  I never succeeded to build a
> boot-floppies stuff at home computer.

Please tell us the status and the procedures to build your language-chooser
version of boot-floppies. I hope that someone in JP project can work on this.

# Note the cc; field on this letter.

> > Do you think we could provide a root disk compiled with i18n as a new
> > 'i18n' flavor on i386?
> Could anybody help me with creating a new flavour?  If yes, I think it would be
> a very good thing to have.  As soon as i18n becomes mature, this could go
> mainstream.
> 
> > Oh well, we can just let the local teams provide l10n'd versions of
> > the rescue disk unofficially if they want...
> BTW, it would be a good idea to have localized rescue disks on ftp.debian.org.
> There are only 16 of them.

I agree with you, Michael. Thanks to working for i18n.

-- 
  Taketoshi Sano: <sano@debian.org>,<sano@debian.or.jp>,<kgh12351@xxxxxxxxxxx>