[Lubuntu-qa] People do not understand the desktop installer

[Nio Wiklund]

On 2013-10-24 17:36, JM wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:26:19 +0200
> Nio Wiklund <nio.wiklund at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hi everybody,
>>
>> Today, there is another person, who misunderstood the partitioning
>> dialogue of the desktop installer.
>>
>> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2183287
>>
>> 'When I went to install 13.10 I chose the option to remove windows and
>> replace with Ubuntu. I had two partitions when I chose this. One with
>> files I wanted to keep and the other being the windows 7 partition. When
>> I chose to remove windows I assumed it would be placed on my C drive and
>> not my other one. But what actually ended up happening was all my
>> partitions merged into one deleting everything. Now I only have Ubuntu
>> on my drive. I need help retrieving my files please!'
>>
>> -o-
>>
>> This is what I have been telling, when describing the One Button Installer
>>
>> '...
>> Case 1: Tool that is easy to use and just works
>>
>> The normal linux installers that come with iso files are complicated to
>> use or freeze during the installation process, and you want a tool that
>> is easier to use and just works.
>> ...
>> a. The Desktop Installer is flexible and looks nice, and is generally
>> easy to understand, but the partitioning page can make people confused.
>> There are several threads at the Ubuntu Forums describing installations,
>> where a previous system has been overwritten by mistake. ...'
>>
>> It is really too bad, and something that should be improved in 14.04
>>
>> Best regards
>> Nio
> 
> Hi,
> 
> A window with a warning in big and red could be added before the person can access to the
> "apply" button. Something such as:
> 
> WARNING YOU MIGHT DESTROY YOUR DATA : HAVE YOU DONE A BACKUP OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA BEFORE
> PROCEEDING?
> 
> ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO PROCEED? 
> 
> Followed by a "Yes" and a "Quit" button. (Perhaps not all in high case... I don't use
> html in mails).
> 
> And the installer has a partitionning tool which IS really confusing. I would suggest to
> request that it be removed and calling Gparted which is much easier to understand,
> imo, or it should be graphically improved and made perfect before being provided to
> everybody.
> 
> I anwered to the person at the forum and provided links to testdisk and tutorials.
> 
> Regards,
> Mélodie
> 
Thanks Mélodie for providing help to the poor fellow who misunderstood
the installer!

I was so absorbed by reporting the problem, that I forgot to help ... I
will follow the case, and if testdisk does not work, and nobody else is
faster than I, [I will] suggest PhotoRec.

-o-

Yes a warning screen is a good thing. Also a description of what will be
wiped or overwritten (for each particular case). I agree that gparted is
easier to understand, and available in the desktop iso file.

Best regards
Nio