"With Etch you get the best package manager around in APT, a rock solid stable system, and the ability to tinker with the desktop all that you want - without having the procedure become too arcane. If you are familiar with Linux then I would strongly recommend you try out Debian Etch - just an awesome release by the Debian group."
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Member since:2006-01-13
Member since:2005-06-29
No offense, but it seems the issue here is that you did not take the time to understand the Debian apt system and naming conventions, and how they relate to the release of a new stable version. Etch has been in development a long time and if you are going to administer a Debian box, perhaps you should have taken the time to determine what the new stable release would mean to your systems. I can understand your frustration, but seriously, Debian has done it this way for a long, long time and anyone who administers Debian systems knows how it works. PEBKAC.
Edited 2007-04-10 20:43
Member since:2005-07-08
Well, it has to be one way or the other. The default behaviour is that "stable" gets upgraded when a new stable release is out - because many people (most users and developers?) want it that way. And it is also clearly documented in all the Debian docs.
Edited 2007-04-10 20:45
Member since:2005-07-08
Yep, that problem would be more related to poor or confusing Debian documentation(?), or more likely (sorry to say this) poor understanding and system administration.
It is clearly stated in all Debian documentiation what it means to have either the release code name (like sarge or etch) in the sources.list file or just "stable". Stable is the same as sarge only as long as stable is sarge, when stable changes to etch everything is going to get updated. Many want it just that way. But it is easy to avoid if one wants to stay in the old stable.
Member since:
2005-06-29
Debian always changes the new releases to "stable" and the old stable release becomes "oldstable." They've been doing it that way for 10 years or more. If your apt sources said "stable" then yes, when Etch was released and you do an apt-get whatever, that meant Etch. If your apt sources had said sarge instead, then it wouldn't have happened.