The installation images may be downloaded right now via bittorrent (the recommended method), jigdo, or HTTP; see Debian on CDs for further information.
>(x64 testing + non-free firmware)
why testing?
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-inc...
I think the OP is right that the Debian homepage could probably do with some simplification - there’s nothing wrong with having all these options available, but most people are just going to want a CD image they can write to a USB stick these days.
So in order to use your link, first you need to be lucky or wired (because that download doesn't include the wifi firmware that most people will need for the install), and then you need to either already know where not to go or spend time digging around and backtracking.
2.4.1. CD-ROM/DVD-ROM/BD-ROM
2.4.2. USB Memory Stick
2.4.3. Network
2.4.4. Hard Disk
2.4.5. Un*x or GNU system
2.4.6. Supported Storage Systems
I am going to burn a CD-ROM and/or DVD-ROM. It's been a while and feels very retro, I guess I could do this. What is a a BD-ROM?
I am going to use dd to copy the image onto a USB Memory Stick. I've done that.
I am going to do a Network install, no I am not going to do this.
Hard Disk install, this is how I installed it previously. Let me find my notes.
Whether it's CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, USB Memory Stick, or Hard Disk install, the tricky bit is getting the computer to boot the image from that media. And, the tricky part about this is knowing the incantation for GRUB to do this. And, the additional tricky part is the mangled PC EUFI/Secure boot settings. If it's the raspberry pi it's easy: I stick the USB Memory stick in the pi and go. If it's the PC, it's well, as you said: forensics.
I wish that I could download a little install program, and install a fresh OS into one of the many free partitions on the PC, and that the installer would automatically configure GRUB to recognize that new OS without the incantations, and without stomping on other distros.
But I will say:
> I am going to do a Network install, no I am not going to do this.
For Debian netinst really is the best. Debian has a lot of packages. I haven't kept up with all the full media over the years [first time I did a debian install was '99 or so], but it's always seemed pretty "completist", and contains more than I'll ever use. With netinst you get a base system, it gets you to a shell quickly and you can apt-get exactly what you need without a lot else.
A Bondage and Domination video on a plastic disk?
Scratch that.
How do you find that without knowing exactly where it is already? What do you click on? Where is it on the page? What and how much do you have to ignore before you finally get to the part at every stage that's actually relevant to the breadcrumb trail?
[edit] The "click Get Debian" responses are absolutely killing me. OH YES AND THEN WHAT? How many paragraphs of jargon do you have to casually slide past? How many links do you have to _not_ click? How do you know which links to actually click vs all the ones that you're supposed to not click? The definition of "free"? The "installation manual"? Will the small image be incomplete? What's the difference between a small CD and a tiny CD? What's the difference between a USB stick and a "flexible" USB stick? Can't I put a DVD on a USB stick? I swear this kind of UX aspect blindness is why people hate SWEs.
From there you have roughly 5 options:
1) small installer that gets packages over the internet (netinst)
2) large installer that includes a bunch of packages ("CDs")
3) same as 2 but delivered to you physically
4) qcow2 cloud images
5) a live CD + installer
6) a computer with debian preinstalled
netinst is recommended if you can have a network interface that is supported out of the box.
Ubuntu's installation would be equivalent to 5) and is the friendliest UX.
You are expected to know which architecture you are using although branding makes it really hard for new users to figure that out.