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"Connecting this computer to a wi-fi network allows you to install third party software, download updates, automatically detect your timezone, and install full support for your language." -The Lubuntu Installer

What specifically isn't included on a Lubuntu 13.10 X86-64 installation iso that the installer downloads from the internet during the installation process? I find the installer's description to be vague, and would like to either find or make a more detailed list. Specific package, or file names would be helpful.

My List Thus Far:

Third Party Software:

  • MP3 support [Don't know what packages or files specifically]
  • Some Network drivers depending on users hardware

Updates:

  • Updates published since the iso was released [Not sure if this includes kernel updates]

Full support for your language:

  • ?

Unknown Category

  • Grub2 UEFI support [Don't know specifically what packages or files]
please delete me
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2 Answers2

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  • Packages that Ubuntu is not allowed to redistribute for copyright/patent reasons, like the MP3 codecs
  • The online repository at archive.ubuntu.com is enabled, so every package that has been updated since the CD image was created will be downloaded (including new kernel images)
bain
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I haven't been able to find any such list. The Ubuntu family is not what one would call an offline friendly OS. Since I could not find any documented results I decided to take some first hand. I created 2 virtual machines in VMware Player. This way the hardware is identical. The machines are both using UEFI and the installation process was done the same way. VM#1 just contains what is on the iso. I disconnected the host from the internet so that it wouldn't be able to download anything. VM#2 on the other hand was permitted internet access, but I didn't check the "download updates" box as that would skew the results. I didn't compare the ESP partitions though I imagine there would be some difference there too. I didn't test BIOS installations either, which would yield a different result too given no UEFI related stuff would need to be downloaded.

Test Results:

VM#1 [No Internet Access]:

  • Total number of items on operating partition is "119,993" according to Nautilus run as root.
  • The total size of the data on the operating partition is "1.8 GB" according to Nautilus properties run as root.

VM#2 [Internet Access Allowed But No Updates]:

  • Total number of items on operating partition is "149,028" according to Nautilus run as root.
  • The total size of the data on the operating partition is "2.6 GB" according to Nautilus properties run as root.

Based on the above test results we can see the ISO contains 69% of a full Lubuntu installation. Keep in mind the results would vary slightly based on hardware, but I think in general it would be safe to say that the iso only contains about 3/4 of a full installation, which would make it essentially just a more inclusive version of the net-installer minimal cd.

File And Folder List:

I tried to use ls and diffuse to create a comparative list of all files/folders but it didn't work, because the entries in the outputted txt files don't line up. The idea was that by removing entries found on both lists it would be possible to see which files and folders were unique to the machine given internet access. Perhaps someone with more knowledge of file comparisons can figure out a way to make this approach work? I've added links for the txt files below.

Text File For VM#1 = https://copy.com/J3SRhFAIRXEz

Text File For VM#2 = https://copy.com/AZu11yEX8fPQ

mango
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  • While this doesn't totally answer my question I feel it's as close as I'm likely to get, and certainly a step in the right direction. – please delete me May 20 '14 at 00:50