Bug 883789

Summary:	Suggestion to improve the installation guide
Product:	Gentoo Linux	Reporter:	Tormod Lunde <tormod.lunde>
Component:	Current packages	Assignee:	Gentoo Linux bug wranglers <bug-wranglers>
Status:	RESOLVED CANTFIX
Severity:	normal	CC:	jstein
Priority:	Normal
Version:	unspecified
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Package list:		Runtime testing required:	---

Description Tormod Lunde 2022-11-30 21:33:52 UTC

My case may be special, but I doubt it only applies to me. I enjoy Gentoo and think there is a lot of wonderful work being done here.

I have not had time to try to install Gentoo in one sitting. So I have done some things during a break, gone back to work, returned, and done some more, etc. 

But what I find is that I have spent lots of time figuring what I needed to do to restart the installation again from where I finished. That is, which directory should I be in, where should I chroot, which mounts need to be active, etc. 

Twice I have lost track and not been able to find my way back, the last time after installing Stage 3, at the beginning of the installation of the core.

So my suggestion (and hope) is that you a) indicate clearly where it is possible or OK to take a break and come back later, and b) write in the new starting point when you continue the installation after a pause (step to get to the right point, mounts, links to make, directory to be in, chroot, etc.). 

I know this is a lot to ask, but my feeling is that the Handbook for the moment is written not only as the person doing the installation is highly skilled, but also on the assumption that people installing are doing it in one sitting. And for many, that may not be possible or may be hard to achieve.

Thanks!

Comment 1 Jonas Stein gentoo-dev

2022-12-02 23:31:18 UTC

I understand why this could be interesting, but I see no way to maintain this for all different options and different user needs.

There is a lot of unneeded text in the manual.
If we manage to shorten the manual, it will be simple to get in one session till the first reboot. This is a good point for a break.

Depending on your suggestions, you can contact us via IRC #gentoo-wiki, or the wiki talk page. The bug tracker is better suited for real bugs, why I close here.