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- HEADLINE: Continue to provide a mechanism for offline installation of a large selection of the repository. - DESCRIPTION: Debian is the only distribution tha

- HEADLINE: Continue to provide a mechanism for offline installation of a large selection of the repository. - DESCRIPTION: Debian is the only distribution that I know of that provides .iso images from which you can install the operating system and subsequently install a wide range of (libre) software. In addition, Debian provides update .isos. These affordances make installing and maintaining a desktop computer without an Internet connection, or with a slow and expensive connection, viable. I hope that Debian will continue to provide this affordance as we transition from optical disks over the next few releases. - DISTRIBUTION: All Debian distributions. - ROLE/AFFILIATION: End user (desktop)

lamby 9y ago
> without an Internet connection, or with a slow and expensive connection Could you elaborate more on your particular use-case? Would be interested if there were also compromise solutions such as smarter binary diffs, etc.
- keithpeter 9y ago
  my use case could be just walking down the hill with my laptop to the arts centre with the fast wifi. However, having installed a fairly full Debian desktop from DVD1/2 offline it struck me that Debian is the only distribution that could support someone with (say) a desktop PC in a location with dial-up or no Internet or only mobile internet. I imagine a single large .iso image (the BD perhaps?) included on 'El Paquete'[1] and dd'ed to a USB key for installation or DVDs/USB key mailed in the post. A Debian equivalent to drpm packages would be a really nice idea. I'm glad you said 'also'! [1] https://www.fastcompany.com/3048163/in-cuba-an-underground-network-armed-with-usb-drives-does-the-work-of-google-and-youtube https://www.fastcompany.com/3048163/in-cuba-an-underground-n...
- debianoffline 9y ago
  The internet is often prohibitively expensive for a small minority of users. But those users often have infrequent access to a high-bandwidth connection. And of course, odds are that they won't be reading this thread! I've often been in this situation myself.
  - keithpeter 9y ago
    What do you think of content rich distros like Endless OS (Linux aimed at end users with a lot of offline content)? I'm thinking of ditching the phone line and scavenging in local cafes/public buildings, so yes, weekly access to reasonable speed connection. Tethered mobile connection for emergency email/rdp access.
  - mhall119 9y ago
    A not so small minority globally. Only 1.2% of India has fixed broadband, but 20% have mobile data. Even in the USA, less than 30% of the population has fixed broadband, but almost 75% have mobile data. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_broadband_Internet_subscriptions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of...

lamby 9y ago

> without an Internet connection, or with a slow and expensive connection Could you elaborate more on your particular use-case? Would be interested if there were also compromise solutions such as smarter binary diffs, etc.

keithpeter 9y ago
my use case could be just walking down the hill with my laptop to the arts centre with the fast wifi. However, having installed a fairly full Debian desktop from DVD1/2 offline it struck me that Debian is the only distribution that could support someone with (say) a desktop PC in a location with dial-up or no Internet or only mobile internet. I imagine a single large .iso image (the BD perhaps?) included on 'El Paquete'[1] and dd'ed to a USB key for installation or DVDs/USB key mailed in the post. A Debian equivalent to drpm packages would be a really nice idea. I'm glad you said 'also'! [1] https://www.fastcompany.com/3048163/in-cuba-an-underground-network-armed-with-usb-drives-does-the-work-of-google-and-youtube https://www.fastcompany.com/3048163/in-cuba-an-underground-n...
debianoffline 9y ago
The internet is often prohibitively expensive for a small minority of users. But those users often have infrequent access to a high-bandwidth connection. And of course, odds are that they won't be reading this thread! I've often been in this situation myself.
- keithpeter 9y ago
  What do you think of content rich distros like Endless OS (Linux aimed at end users with a lot of offline content)? I'm thinking of ditching the phone line and scavenging in local cafes/public buildings, so yes, weekly access to reasonable speed connection. Tethered mobile connection for emergency email/rdp access.
- mhall119 9y ago
  A not so small minority globally. Only 1.2% of India has fixed broadband, but 20% have mobile data. Even in the USA, less than 30% of the population has fixed broadband, but almost 75% have mobile data. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_broadband_Internet_subscriptions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of...