By the way, do you intentionally pick a name that abbreviates to CLR (cf. Common Language Runtime) or is that just an added bonus of starting with a “chicken little” theme?

* Copy the contents of an existing ISO to disk
* Remove any packages you want to remove, or add new ones in the obvious place in pool
* Edit the preseed file to add/remove anything that needs to be altered to change the default install (not needed if you add/remove things which are a Recommends: of another package already on the install list)
* Go to an empty folder, extract the source package for ubuntu-keyring, import it, and re-export it with your own key added. Build the package, replace the CD’s copy with your edited copy
* Go to http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/indices/ and download the override files for your release (override.$FOO.main, extra.main, restricted, main.debian-installer and restricted.debian-installer)
* Create a file called apt.conf someplace with the following contents (fix values as appropriate):

APT::FTPArchive::Release::Origin "Ubuntu";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Label "Ubuntu";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Suite "warty";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Version "4.10";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Codename "warty";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Architectures "hppa";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Components "main restricted";
APT::FTPArchive::Release::Description "Ubuntu Warty";

* Create apt-ftparchive-deb.conf:

Dir {
   ArchiveDir "/path/to/staging/folder";
};

TreeDefault {
   Directory "pool/";
};

BinDirectory "pool/main" {
   Packages "dists/warty/main/binary-hppa/Packages";
   BinOverride "/path/to/override.warty.main";
   ExtraOverride "/path/to/override.warty.extra.main";
};

BinDirectory "pool/restricted" {
   Packages "dists/warty/restricted/binary-hppa/Packages";
   BinOverride "/path/to/override.warty.restricted";
};

Default {
   Packages {
      Extensions ".deb";
      Compress ". gzip";
   };
};

Contents {
   Compress "gzip";
};

* And again in apt-ftparchive-udeb.conf:

Dir {
   ArchiveDir "/path/to/staging/folder";
};

TreeDefault {
   Directory "pool/";
};

BinDirectory "pool/main" {
   Packages "dists/warty/main/debian-installer/binary-hppa/Packages";
   BinOverride "/path/to/override.warty.main.debian-installer";
};

BinDirectory "pool/restricted" {
   Packages "dists/warty/restricted/debian-installer/binary-hppa/Packages";
   BinOverride "/path/to/override.dapper.restricted.debian-installer";
};

Default {
   Packages {
      Extensions ".deb";
      Compress ". gzip";
   };
};

Contents {
   Compress "gzip";
};

* Inside your staging folder, run:

apt-ftparchive -c /path/to/apt.conf generate /path/to/apt-ftparchive-deb.conf
apt-ftparchive -c /path/to/apt.conf generate /path/to/apt-ftparchive-udeb.conf
apt-ftparchive -c /path/to/apt.conf release dists/warty | tee dists/warty/Release
gpg --default-key MY_GPG_KEY_ID --output dists/warty/Release.gpg -ba dists/warty/Release
find . -type f -print0 | xargs -0 md5sum | tee md5sum.txt
mkisofs -r -V "Chicken Little Remix" -cache-inodes -J -l -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/boot.cat -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -o /tmp/clr.iso .

You need to understand one thing. Just as “developers” can’t be swayed by shouting and abuse on forums, “users” can’t be swayed by blog posts that mis-characterise them. “Patronising” is the word that comes to mind. Maybe even “preachy”.

Let me explain.

[In the rest of this comment, I say "I" but I'm pretty sure this applies to many, many others who may not want (or care) to post, but think similarly.]

Step 1: Most people in real life don’t have a problem accepting that people are different. I don’t even try to convince anyone of anything unless I know them personally or they were *asking*. I don’t even “write them off as stupid in my mind” either :-)

Step 2: Ulterior motives? See step 1: if I accept that you’re different, why do I care about your motives? [Anyway, I hardly ever ascribe ulterior motives to individuals. Corporations are a different matter ;-)]

Step 3: lots and lots of detail. Nice. Good to know. But totally useless; I’d never even dream of getting into things at that level. Doesn’t matter why. You can, in your own words, write me off as stupid if you like :) And again, I’m sure there are thousands like me.

Step 4: Contributions: same thing. I’d never be able to do anything remotely worth someone else picking up and using. I’m just not going in that direction. My “contributions” to open source are much smaller than yours — I install and maintain Linux for a bunch of non-tech friends and relatives around my city. I’m geek enough to manage a lot of things, but I don’t code much anymore. Other people may have other contributions. Many may not have any at all, and that’s fine. In your book they don’t have a vote, and that’s fine too… hey it’s *your* book!

Step 5: I’m not even fighting this one. You go your way, I go mine, is my attitude. I actually said that somewhere on this topic.

Step 6: See Step 3 and 4.

End result: people like me will start following some of these steps only when there is NO distro without mono. Hopefully that will never happen. Until then, please don’t bother fighting us. We’re not actually fighting you. You have enough on your hands dealing with the shrill screams from borderline crackpots like BCN, who are such a convenient whipping boy in this debate that no one realises we quiet folk exist.

Your blog post: well thought-out, measured in tone. CLR: a master stroke, WELL DONE. Your roadmap for world domination of Debian/Ubuntu: I doubt any anti’s will take you up, but if they do, they can only thank you for providing step-by-step instructions instead of shouting you down again!

Overall, I hope the tone and volume of this issue start trending down. You’ve certainly done your part in pushing things this way.

–dB

“…I’m happy to provide advice on how to modify packages and customize the Alternate ISO (something I have experience doing) as long as the name remains in place…”

How do you do this? I am an Ubuntu user and not a developer or programmer and an enthusiast in making a linux box customized for my own needs. I tried Ubuntu Customization Kit but it can only use the dekstop ISO.