Status/2024Q4/installer.adoc: Add report

Sponsored by:	The FreeBSD Foundation

website/content/en/status/report-2024-10-2024-12/installer.adoc

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+=== Progress on the FreeBSD installer
+
+Links: +
+link:https://wiki.freebsd.org/SummerOfCode2024Projects/ImprovingRepairAbilityOfTheFreeBSDInstaller[Improving Repair Ability of the FreeBSD Installer] URL: link:https://wiki.freebsd.org/SummerOfCode2024Projects/ImprovingRepairAbilityOfTheFreeBSDInstaller[] +
+link:https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/pull/1395[GSoC 2024 - Improving Installer with Repair and Upgrade Ability (#1395)] URL: link:https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/pull/1395[] +
+link:https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/pull/1424[bsdinstall: Add pkg install support in live env (#1424)] URL: link:https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/pull/1424[] +
+link:https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/pull/1427[bsdinstall: Add repair scripts to installer menu (#1427)] URL: link:https://github.com/freebsd/freebsd-src/pull/1427[]
+link:https://wiki.freebsd.org/LaptopDesktopWorkingGroup[Laptop and Desktop Working Group] URL: link:https://wiki.freebsd.org/LaptopDesktopWorkingGroup[]
+
+As part of 2024's GSoC Project on the FreeBSD installer, I had the pleasure to mentor Chun Cheng Yeh (aka "Leaf") with his implementation of additional capabilities.
+The aim was to add support for repairing or updating an existing installation of FreeBSD, as well as allowing packages to be installed in the Live environment.
+This work has been consolidated into three distinct pull-requests, available on GitHub.
+While some aspects probably still require additional polishing before a possible merge, the possibility to significantly extend the installer images into a potentially life-saving tool is within reach.
+
+This is particularly relevant given the ongoing efforts to improve support for laptop and desktop use of FreeBSD.
+In this context, I am currently resuming work on the graphical version of the installer.
+The most immediate challenge includes shaping it suitably for integration into the next major release.
+
+Combining the two initiatives above should help FreeBSD close some gaps with its competition amongst other modern Operating Systems, for the enterprise as well as for laptop and desktop use.
+
+Sponsored by:	The FreeBSD Foundation