Wow, there is 'Skip' button, but it seems to remain deactivated throughout and hence is unusable.

[Akhila]

Running desktop on VirtualBox. When mouse is moved over the installer info, it becomes grey and when clicked on it a 'Skip' button appears at the end of this greyed out block and below it appears installation information on a black background. This 'Skip' button remains deactivated throughout, until the installation completes. Hence, it serves no purpose, hopefully of hiding installation details. Screenshots attached:
1. Installation details before mouse being moved over it
2. Grey installation bar
3. 'Skip' button at the end of the bar and installation logs below.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: ubiquity (not installed)
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-17.28-generic 3.5.5
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-17-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.6.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon Oct 15 00:34:51 2012
InstallCmdLine: file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- maybe-ubiquity
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Release i386 (20121014)
SourcePackage: ubiquity
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Ubuntu QA Website (ubuntuqa)]

This bug has been reported on the Ubuntu ISO testing tracker.

A list of all reports related to this bug can be found here:
http://iso.qa.ubuntu.com/qatracker/reports/bugs/1066566

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

While the skip button is shown in the expanded view, not all steps can be "skipped'. For example you cannot skip "Copying files" stage, but you should be able to skip "Updating package list" step.

[Akhila (akhilahegde)]

Okay. I'll check if that can be done. Because as far as I've observed, 'Skip' remains deactivated. Maybe I should keep my eyes fixed on it for more time.
But then, if we inted to provide a provision to the user to skip certain steps, shouldn't we make it more obvious? I myself didn't know about this option 4 days ago, though I'm testing same image from almost two and a half months now. With no particular intention, I just clicked on the grey bar and I got the expanded view. What I'm trying to say is, users who are not testers will not repeatedly use the image for installation, not on a daily basis at least. So, isn't their chance of realising this option less? And if so, isn't it almost futile to provide this option at all?

Anyways, I'll update once I follow your suggestion with my next installation.

Thank you.

[Akhila (akhilahegde)]

Yes. I could see it activated for 'configuring apt', 'scanning the CD-ROM' and 'Retrieving files ..'. I'm not sure whether Skip actually worked with initial two steps. But retrieving seems to have happened a bit quickly than usual. But I didn't see any warning of aborting/skipping an action down in the log.

[Matthew Paul Thomas (mpt)]

The design spec did not mention any “Skip” button, except once in an “Implementation details” section. I’ve just removed that mention.

I don’t know why any part of the installation should be skippable, and yet not have UI for skipping it before it begins. If any step should be skippable, please report a separate bug for designing that.