===== desktop-installer notes =====

[[https://www.freshports.org/sysutils/desktop-installer/|sysutils/desktop-installer]] is a pretty neat way to quickly install your choice of one of several Desktop Environments on %%FreeBSD%%.  However, it does have some rough edges.

:!: (In particular, desktop-installer has only seen light testing on non-x86 machines.)

==== notes for all architectures ====

  * When you run it for the first time, if you get the following, it is most likely that your clock is set wrong:

<code>
Cloning into '/usr/ports'...
fatal: unable to access 'https://git.FreeBSD.org/ports.git/': SSL certificate problem: certificate is not yet valid
</code>

  * Some functionality assumes that you are logged in on the system console (i.e. not via ssh and/or serial).  Examples:
    * restarting moused (actually ok on serial).
    * actually testing x11.

  * Error handling, in general, needs to be more robust.

==== notes for non-x86 architectures ====

  * The code commonly assumes that the following are available and return non-empty answers:
    * ''%%dmidecode%%''
    * ''%%ACPI%%'' sysctls
    * ''%%pciconf -lv%%''

The above are simply not true for anything other than amd64/i386.  [[MarkLinimon]] is looking into this.

  * Valid operation of [[https://www.freshports.org/sysutils/polkit/|sysutils/polkit]] is assumed.  This introduces a dependency on rust, which may or may not be available.

  * If the system console is not implemented yet (e.g. on [[arm/RockChip#PINE64|Rock64]]), desktop-installer is of limited utility. 

=== notes for iMac G5 ===

  * desktop-installer has been tested on an iMac G5, though the resulting system is limited by lack of DRM and some popular ports.

=== notes for Orange Pi ===

  * HDMI is not yet supported under %%FreeBSD%%.

=== notes for Rock64 ===

  * HDMI is not yet supported under %%FreeBSD%%.

  * What happens when you try to start x11:

<code>
(EE) xf86OpenConsole: No console driver found
        Supported drivers: pccons (with X support), syscons, pcvt
        Check your kernel's console driver configuration and /dev entries(EE) 
(EE) 
</code>

=== notes for Raspberry Pi 2 ===

  * TBA

==== external references ====

  * [[http://acadix.biz/desktop-installer.php|development home page]]
  * [[https://github.com/outpaddling/desktop-installer|desktop-installer source]] on github
  * [[https://github.com/outpaddling/desktop-installer/issues|desktop-installer issues]] on github