openSUSE's "Agama" Next-Gen Linux Installer Plans For A Busy 2024

[phoronix]

Phoronix: openSUSE's "Agama" Next-Gen Linux Installer Plans For A Busy 2024

Ahead of the SUSE/openSUSE Adaptable Linux Platform (ALP) their engineers have been working on a new web-based OS installer. Originally known as the "D-Installer" and now going by the "Agama" name, this new installer architecture has plans for many architectural improvements this calendar year...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/openSUSE-Agama-Installer-2024

[sophisticles]

Good, the Suse installer is one of the biggest draw backs to Suse, it feels so outdated and archaic, especially compared to Calamares and Ubiquity.

In fact, i could swear it's the same installer Suse was using back in the 90's.

[Britoid]

Good, the Suse installer is one of the biggest draw backs to Suse, it feels so outdated and archaic, especially compared to Calamares and Ubiquity.

In fact, i could swear it's the same installer Suse was using back in the 90's.

Both of those installers are dwarfed by YaST and Anacondas functionality, some of which is a must in servers.

last time I checked Calamares doesn’t even support raid.

[fallingcats]

Both of those installers are dwarfed by YaST and Anacondas functionality, some of which is a must in servers.

last time I checked Calamares doesn’t even support raid.

Totally agree, those two feel like they're made for the imaginary perfect user that just wants the defaults. Partitioning is a pain when the only options are "do it exactly like this (with some boneheaded defaults, like swap in a VM)" or "do everything custom yourself, but don't tell me what the bootloader will need/expect where". YaST is the perfect middle ground with good defaults and good customizability.

[acobar]

Good, the Suse installer is one of the biggest draw backs to Suse, it feels so outdated and archaic, especially compared to Calamares and Ubiquity.

In fact, i could swear it's the same installer Suse was using back in the 90's.

OK, I will bite. What is wrong with SuSE installer?

Perhaps "Oh, it has so many options I, and noobs, don't use, they must be killed! They are confusing!". Is that your view?

Have been using it since eons, and never met a better system installer on Linux world. Actually, I prefer it to Windows and Apple installers, but to each, their own.

[szymon_g]

what was wrong with the current installer? it's one of the best installer i've had a pleasure to use. and the only (graphical one) that can be used solely from keyboard (but of course mouse can also be used if one prefers).

[johnandmegh]

...it feels so outdated and archaic...

One person's "outdated and archaic" may be another person's "mature and stable"?

[sophisticles]

OK, I will bite. What is wrong with SuSE installer?

Perhaps "Oh, it has so many options I, and noobs, don't use, they must be killed! They are confusing!". Is that your view?

Have been using it since eons, and never met a better system installer on Linux world. Actually, I prefer it to Windows and Apple installers, but to each, their own.

It's poorly laid out with little logic or reason put into its design.

I don;t know what it is but there seems to be this mentality within the *nix world that unless something is as convoluted and tedious to use as possible then it's not "pro" grade.

I am of the school of thought that software should be designed so that its use is self-explanatory, and average person, with minimum computer experience and average intelligence should be able to sit in front of the computer and figure out what to do without having to RTFM or needing to take an IT class that teaches him how to use it.

[AdamW]

what was wrong with the current installer? it's one of the best installer i've had a pleasure to use. and the only (graphical one) that can be used solely from keyboard (but of course mouse can also be used if one prefers).

https://github.com/openSUSE/agama?tab=readme-ov-file#why-a-new-installer

[AdamW]

Totally agree, those two feel like they're made for the imaginary perfect user that just wants the defaults. Partitioning is a pain when the only options are "do it exactly like this (with some boneheaded defaults, like swap in a VM)" or "do everything custom yourself, but don't tell me what the bootloader will need/expect where". YaST is the perfect middle ground with good defaults and good customizability.

Having spent a chunk of my professional life dealing with this whole area, I'm fairly sure the best solution would be to bundle every download of a Linux ISO with a free blank hard disk.