Unified instalaltion media for ia32 and x86_64 (Intel compatible)

[Milan Keršláger]

Hi,

I would be glad if there will be only one installation media (something
as we have now for x86_64). The user then will pick pure 32 or 64 or
mixed 32+64 bit environment installation.

This may save a lot of bandwithw and make 32->64 transition more easy
and smooth for average user.

Milan Kerslager

[Jeremy Katz]

On Thu, 2008-11-27 at 09:00 +0100, Milan Keršláger wrote:
> I would be glad if there will be only one installation media (something
> as we have now for x86_64). The user then will pick pure 32 or 64 or
> mixed 32+64 bit environment installation.
>
> This may save a lot of bandwithw and make 32->64 transition more easy
> and smooth for average user.

This comes up from time to time, but it introduces some "interesting"
complexities on the compose side as we have to move to building both
sets of images.  Not to mention the fun in the bootloader to try to let
people select then what they want and having two sets of information on
the CD.  All of these are solvable problems, but they tend not to be at
the top of anyone's list.

Especially as whether or not it saves bandwidth is debatable -- it means
that everyone who is just downloading the x86 DVD now is having to
download about twice as much.  Given that the x86 downloads still
significantly outnumber x86_64, that means it ends up being more
bandwidth used.

Jeremy

[Bill Nottingham]

Jeremy Katz ([e-mail]) said:
> Especially as whether or not it saves bandwidth is debatable -- it means
> that everyone who is just downloading the x86 DVD now is having to
> download about twice as much.  Given that the x86 downloads still
> significantly outnumber x86_64, that means it ends up being more
> bandwidth used.

Moreover, I'm not sure the x86 DVD would still fit on a DVD if we
did this.

Bill