Linked by Amjith Ramanujam on Tue 23rd Dec 2008 00:30 UTC
A next-generation package manager called Nix provides a simple distribution-independent method for deploying a binary or source package on different flavours of Linux, including Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE, Fedora, and Red Hat. Even better, Nix does not interfere with existing package managers. Unlike existing package managers, Nix allows different versions of software to live side by side, and permits sane rollbacks of software upgrades.
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Member since:
2005-07-24
At least, openSuSE (from what I've heard) hasn't reached the point where you can just "dist-upgrade" just like debian based distros can.
*sigh*
So there are still Debian folks living in the 90's.
My (rather extensive) experience is with the Red Hat family. I have "side-graded" quite a number of servers from Fedora to CentOS with relatively little problem. You have to wait for the proper time window in which the CentOS release is later than the Fedora release you are upgrading it from. For straight CentOS upgrades? RHEL upgrades? Fedora upgrades? Generally no problem. Now, when you get to the destination... you have all the new versions of the software. If your firefox plugins are incompatible, then I think I can get you a good deal on Kleenex tissues.
I wince about the same amount when I start an apt upgrade as when I start a yum upgrade. If you are still buying into the concept of only Debian based distros having a smooth upgrade path then you really need to join us in the 21st century. Because even back in the 20th, I was beginning to wonder about that mindset.
Edited 2008-12-23 03:26 UTC