Useful article on Debian's great apt-get system

[erikZ]

NewsForge.com recently ran this article on the intricacies of Debian's woody/sarge/sid release system, and how to use apt-get within the stable, testing, and unstable branches.

Since debian.org is starting to see much more exposure due to the release of several major debian based distros, the very popular knoppix cd based Linux, useful for testing and system recovery. Then there is the new ubuntu linux, along with mepis. Heady days for debian, their idea of creating a stable open free linux seems to be taking off.

[minck]

Very nice article. One small caveat:

:: Quote ::

For that reason, many users prefer to use testing (sarge), seeing it as a balance between the dependability of stable and the timeliness of unstable.

I'm guessing this is inaccurate - almost all who try testing, I think, switch to Sid (also known as "unstable" which, quite frankly, it isn't), or else to stable ("Woody" at the moment). Getting testing to properly install things results so, so often in a terrible mess. I've heard people say that testing is only good for just that - testing - it's the branch where all the problems are hammered out, but before they are hammered out, it's much easier to go with sid's more mild dependency checking scheme. So, any potential Debian users out there, think about sticking either with "retro" rock-hard stability in Woody or enjoy Sid, which is very stable indeed.