[ubuntu-in] Squash FS on Ubuntu install discs and some related questions to Ubuntu 8.10, 9.04

[Ramnarayan.K]

Hi

have been noticing that the last few versions - 8.10 and 9.04 esp that
the install discs are

had a few questions

The install disc (8.10) seems to be divided into two parts - the bulk
hidden away in a squashfs file system and some restricted and other
minor stuff (about 9 mb) available in the /media/cdrom0/pool/main
/media/cdrom0/pool/restricted.

Earlier it was possible after the base install to pop in the install
cd - run synaptic and access a host of programmes that were not
installed by default - to name a few - thunderbird, pdftk, apton etc

now the only programmes that are available are at
/media/cdrom0/pool/main and  /media/cdrom0/pool/restricted which are
very very few and do not help make the system whole.

Why this change ??  and why are so many packages - that are somewhat
important not being bundled by default.

2. Is there a way to extract this squashfs file - to access some of
the programmes available on the disc
/media/cdrom0/casper/filesystem.squashfs


regards
ram