Objective Behind This Massive Ubuntu 10.10 Installer Revamp
The Ubuntu Live CD is the first experience many new users will have of Ubuntu. The installation experience should be attractive and effortless to reassure new users that Ubuntu is the right choice. The process should feel safe and should only highlight risk when necessary
Proposed welcome screen looks pretty, readable and non-intimidating. Thats more like it. As a long time Ubuntu user, I really know how far these changes can help a newbie trying his luck in the new found Ubuntu world.
And do notice a small check box right at the bottom. An option to install non-free codecs and other non-free essentials. It is a much needed one in my opinion. I know a lot of Ubuntu experts who recommend newbies to try Linux Mint instead of Ubuntu for its inability to play music and video files out of the box.
It is far better to have an option to install non free codecs than to lecture newbies about the legal issues surrounding non-free codecs. They are going to install it anyway. I definitely feel that this simple check box is going to be a huge step forward.
Partitioning is probably the most important part of installation process and any changes to it is welcome. The current partitioning menu in the installer definitely needed a revamp and from the changes we can infer from the above screenshot, partitioning is probably going to be the easiest part of installation(hopefully).
These changes are obviously meant for upcoming Ubuntu 10.10, but it is not yet clear that how much of these changes will be adopted into the original Ubuntu 10.10 'Maverick Meerkat' when it is released in late October. See this documentation on Installer Revamp.
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