The base-extras group really sounds like a great solution. Please consider this approach! Obviously, you don't need to re-install Arch too often, but I like to experiment with various configurations on various machines and I have gotten used to what is in that base group. Thanks! Paul Stoetzer On Tue, Oct 8, 2019 at 4:34 PM Eli Schwartz via arch-general <arch-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > On 10/7/19 12:02 AM, Marc Ranolfi via arch-general wrote: > >> The `base` group has been replaced by a metapackage of the same name, we > > advise users to install this package (`pacman -Syu base`), as it is > > effectively mandatory from now on. > > > > Please, was this discussed somewhere? I want to know the details, and > > gather what is needed to update the 'Installation guide' article in the > > wiki. In particular, I want to understand why essential packages for new > > installations, such as the kernel and a text editor, are not included > > (actually I see the kernel is an optional dependency). > > Really, I wish we would do as I'd wanted and transfer the "essential > packages" which aren't actually essential and were thus not included in > base.. to a new *group* called "base-extras", which would reflect its > status as being mere recommendations, while providing a convenient way > to choose to interactively install them, and allowing the Installation > Guide to transition from: > > pacstrap /mnt base > > to > > pacstrap /mnt base base-extras > > instead of becoming "and also decide whether you want the kernel, and > also probably linux-firmware (but check whether your hardware needs > firmware first), and oh, if you want a text editor, go install one of > those too I guess, and in case you feel super surprised later when info > and man don't work, you might want to install texinfo and man-db (and > man-pages if you also want manpages) and a dozen other things that most > people want even if they don't realize it". > > And now we need to cherry-pick tons of packages for the archiso, and we > need to cherry-pick tons of packages into the installation guide, and > there is nothing straightforward to tell anyone what to do today. So > we've taken a step forward and a step back, and mostly weren't ready for > it either way. > > -- > Eli Schwartz > Bug Wrangler and Trusted User >
