Bug #17567

Weird new SYSLINUX sign on splash screen

Added by emmapeel 2020-03-27 17:30:49 . Updated 2020-05-13 14:03:05 .

Status:
Confirmed
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
emmapeel
Category:
Target version:
Tails_4.7
Start date:
Due date:
% Done:

0%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Code
Blueprint:

Starter:
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

Testing Tails 4.5 rc~1, the splash screen shows a big SYSLINUX sign on top of the two options Tails and Tails (troubleshooting).

As a fellow contributor puts it:

`the SYSLINUX feels a bit like it’s being yelled at my face`

Is it necessary to add this heading? Many users will not understand why it has been added.

Subtasks

Related issues

Related to Tails - Feature #17538: Make it easy for users to identity whether they get GRUB or SYSLINUX Resolved

History

#1 Updated by emmapeel 2020-03-27 17:31:51

  • Description updated

#2 Updated by emmapeel 2020-03-27 17:32:55

  • Description updated

#3 Updated by intrigeri 2020-03-27 18:37:38

  • Assignee set to sajolida

sajolida added it so I’d like his input :)

#4 Updated by sajolida 2020-04-01 22:56:10

  • related to Feature #17538: Make it easy for users to identity whether they get GRUB or SYSLINUX added

#5 Updated by sajolida 2020-04-01 23:09:00

  • Status changed from Confirmed to New
  • Assignee changed from sajolida to emmapeel

With the support of Secure Boot, people might be either faced with GRUB (on UEFI) or SYSLINUX (on Legacy).

I added the SYSLINUX label to make it easier for people to understand whether they are on GRUB or SYSLINUX, which is very different if you have to edit the boot options. If SYSLINUX displays no name, then it’s harder to call it by its name when writing the doc.

Also:

  • Few people should have to edit the boot options, so indeed, this label will only useful to a minority of users.
  • With the support of Secure Boot, most people will be booting in UEFI now and see GRUB instead of SYSLINUX; at least new users and especially Windows users.
  • On the long term, I think that we should aim at only having GRUB when starting from USB sticks. It would make the experience more consistent and would allow us to do fancy tricks inside GRUB (see our Help desk discussion from today).
  • I don’t think that we should roll back all changes that produce a first negative impression on some users. So I’d rather discuss this more in depth than comply with this 1 report.

So yeah, my take is that it’s no big deal and that fewer and fewer people should see it as time passes by.

I also don’t mind removing it in time for 4.5 and adjust the doc on boot options. No big deal either but more work, now that this is done.

@emmapeel: What do you think based on the trade-off described above?

#6 Updated by CyrilBrulebois 2020-04-07 17:05:25

  • Target version changed from Tails_4.5 to Tails_4.6

#7 Updated by CyrilBrulebois 2020-05-06 04:28:59

  • Target version changed from Tails_4.6 to Tails_4.7

#8 Updated by anonym 2020-05-13 14:03:05

  • Status changed from New to Confirmed

@emmapeel, feel free to reject this topic if you find sajolida’s answer satisfactory.