What is the fascination with 'spins'

[Charles Curley]

On Sun, Feb 04, 2007 at 08:19:45PM +0000, monty19@ hotmail.com wrote:

> 
> Personally, I think having separate ISO images for Desktop,
> Developer, Server, KDE, and whatever else is a pretty silly idea.

I agree. I've been using Unix since before some of the folks around
here were in diapers, and I've always had at least one box that was
"desktop" and "server" and several other functions combined. I find
the whole "desktop" and "server" distinction artificial, naive and
useless. For example, I've always had an FTP server on my "desktop",
and added an HTTP server shortly after the NCSA released what has
since become Apache.

A few questions, then:

* Methinks this approach produces a lot of overlap. For any "spin",
  you need a kernel, you need X, etc. Do I then need to pull in
  several different CDs or DVDs, one for each "spin"? Or will there
  be, say, a "minimum" CD, then a CD (or two) for desktop, and another
  for server?

* I usually set up an NFS mount for installations. Until now I've put
  all three or four CDs into that directory, and away I go. How does
  this "spin" stuff affect NFS mount installations: do I throw the
  multiple DVD images into one directory and export that, do do I
  export multiple directories?

* I maintain a local base repo, using the DVD images via a loopback
  mount. Once installation is complete, how do I set up my base repo(s)?

* I have, until now, had enough spare capacity on my laptop to keep a
  DVD install image on it. I can carry one CD and my laptop, and I can
  install Fedora for any use anywhere. Does this "spin" approach break
  that capability?

  Yes, I know there will be the ability to roll my own distribution
  (which is vaporware at this point). So now, in addition to the time
  it takes to pull in multiple CD/DVD images, do I now get to spend
  more time creating my "custom" disty? Great, that's just what I
  need: another computer maintenance job.

* How does this affect users in poor countries, where neither
  bandwidth nor hard drive space are cheap? Even with the ability to
  roll one's own distribution, how many poor country users do these
  costs price Fedora beyond reach?

I don't need immediate answers to these questions, but I would like
some assurance that they have been brought up and addressed.

-- 

Charles Curley                  /"\    ASCII Ribbon Campaign
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