[SoaS] The boot helper CDs will be a maintainability issue

[Sebastian Dziallas]

Sean DALY wrote:
> Could this be solved by branding, linking a boot helper to a SoaS
> version? Strawberry helper, Blueberry helper?

Yes, I'd agree here! Since that's how they were intended. We originally 
didn't release boot helpers with each snapshot, since those are 
snapshots for a reason. On the other hand, updates for Sugar on a Stick 
(v1) had, when being mentioned, a huge warning sign.

That's not because we wouldn't want people to try it out, but because 
it's just a support hell. There's even been a blueprint in Launchpad, 
but I'm not sure whether this will happen for v2:

https://blueprints.edge.launchpad.net/soas/+spec/distribution-updates

So to be clear: Updating via yum is not the recommended way of moving to 
another release (which is also the way since we had originally some 
forked packages from Fedora).

If I recall correctly, you could type yum update on your XO, but this 
wouldn't necessarily move you to the next OLPC software release.

Anyway, finding good ways of updating SoaS / the base system / the 
activities is a good thing to discuss. Anybody up for another lengthy 
discussion here? ;)

--Sebastian

> Mike Lee did amazing CD labels.
>
> It's quite a bit cheaper to press runs of CDs than USB sticks, even
> with 4-color disc labels.
>
> Sean
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 12:42 AM, Caroline Meeks
> <caroline at solutiongrove.com>  wrote:
>> We ran into a bug at GPA where we made a new spin and it ended up with a
>> newer version of the Kernel then the boothelper had.  The result was
>> everything worked fine, except networking.  It took us a long time to figure
>> out what was wrong.
>> Use Scenario
>> 1. We send kids home with computers and CDs and then a few months or a year
>> later the school upgrades SoaS.  We can send home new CDs but its quite
>> likely that there will be confusion and some people will use the wrong CD.
>> 2. A day care center serves several elementary schools. At some point the
>> schools are running different versions. (Now this would be a nice problem to
>> have!).
>> So its not a critical issue but its worth thinking about.
>> There is a solution, Bill found a different kind of boot helper that boots
>> one kernel then boots the USB.  The issue is it takes about a minute longer
>> then the current boot-helper.  I'm not sure if its worth the tradeoff or
>> not.  It maybe in some cases.
>>
>> --
>> Caroline Meeks
>> Solution Grove
>> Caroline at SolutionGrove.com
>>
>> 617-500-3488 - Office
>> 505-213-3268 - Fax