On 04/16/2022 09:21 AM, Andrew M.A. Cater wrote:
On Sat, Apr 16, 2022 at 08:50:22AM -0500, Richard Owlett wrote:
A goal of the Debian installer is to create a system that can be used by
*ALL* people to use for *ANY* possible purpose.
I find the resulting system:
1. consumes more disk space than necessary.
2. consumes excessive bandwidth during installation.
[I have a low monthly cap on my internet connection.]
3. installs packages I whose function I don't need/want.
4. doesn't install functions I routinely use.
5. installs packages that unsatisfactorily perform needed functions.
[I have to install additional packages.]
I plan to get around these problems by creating a local repository and
several very custom metapackages. My internet search turned up tools to
create and/or modify both.
I did not find authoritative descriptions of the structure of either
repositories or metapackages.
Where do I find such?
TIA
Hi Richard,
I don't think you _need_ a full repository - but
Agreed! *GRIN*
What I _need_ is something that apt/aptitude/synaptic/etc will treat as
a "normal" repository. As to its _content_, it will be a close
approximation to DVD1.iso .
In fact, if I had fully described what I wish to accomplish, the
automatic response of this group would have been to use either apt-cache
or loop mount DVD1.iso .
https://wiki.debian.org/DebianRepository/Format
will give you a start as will
https://wiki.debian.org/DebianRepository.
The later addresses my perspective. If my project is to succeed, I will
NEED the former's content.
Reprepro sounds like a good start -
https://wiki.debian.org/PartialBackportMirrorWithPackageApproval
THAT page suggests that "Reprepro" is irrelevant.
*HOWEVER*
https://packages.debian.org/bullseye/reprepro
and
https://manpages.debian.org/bullseye/reprepro/reprepro.1.en.html
seem to say otherwise ;}
This appears to be a howto specifically on building a metapackage -
https://blends.debian.org/blends/apb.html
That is one of the pages I had found.
I was looking for a page with perspective more similar to the
"Repository" pages you referenced.
I'd suggest that you begin with a debootstrap / with a minimum Debian
installation. I'd do an expert mode text install, then use tasksel to
remove all packages that are checked - no desktop environment, no
standard packages - and build out from there.
*GRIN*
That's where I started in days of Squeeze.
It raised the questions I wish to answer.
You _will_ hit dependency problems, I can guarantee it
*I _AGREE_* !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have hit them.
Part of my motivation is to reproducibly demonstrate an installer
*BUG*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
but if you're sure
that you know absolutely what you want, you can deal with it.
If you don't want to do this over the 'Net, I'd suggest using a DVD and
a virtual machine of some description to bootstrap this effort.
All the very best, as ever,
Andy Cater
