Debian Archive

"This guide is written during an install of a Supermicro machine with 2 dual-core opterons (64-bit), 2 identical disks (for RAID) and a load of memory. Why OpenVZ and not XEN or the recent KVM kernel module? Well, XEN is not very stable for 64-bit architectures (yet), and it comes with quite a bit of overhead (every VM runs its own kernel) due to its complexity. KVM is very simple but restricts you to run a kernel as one process, so the VM cannot benefit from multi core systems."

Fresh from a positive experience installing Sarge on an old home server, the author of this review attempts to install a Debian Etch desktop on an old Thinkpad. How does it turn out? Surprisingly well.

DesktopLinux.com's executive editor recently decided to retire Red Hat 7 after seven years of loyal service as his home LAN's firewall/router OS. This article chronicles his trials and tribulations as he presses "pure Debian" into service, first as a server and then as a Linux desktop. Read the complete tale here.

The 'Slug' has gained much-improved Linux support, thanks to a new Debian installer that targets the device. The first release candidate of the debian-installer for Debian's forthcoming 'Etch' distribution was released yesterday, offering nearly complete support to the Linksys USD 99 NSLU2 NAS gadget.

"This guide describes how to install and use xen-tools, xen-shell, and Argo on a Debian system. All three packages provide useful tools for the administration of virtual Xen machines. Xen-tools is a collection of Perl scripts that allow you to easily create, update, and delete Xen guest domains. The xen-shell provides a command-line interface to owners of Xen domains so that they can manage their Xen domains without the help of the server administrator. And with Argo, you can control Xen domains through a web interface or through a menu on the command line. All three packages were developed for Debian systems, but might work on other distributions as well."

Steve McIntyre visited the LiMux team in Munich and has posted a small report about the visit on his blog. LiMux is the specially tailored Debian distribution City of Munich deploys. "I'd like to talk some more about LiMux, the project being run within the City of Munich to replace all of their desktop Windows systems with Linux. They gave us a demonstration and answered lots of our questions."

The Elive team has released Elive 0.5, the Enlightenment-based distribution. This distribution is one of the few (the only?) Enlightenment distributions, and offers the 'legacy' E16 and the new and advanced E17. This new release comes with a Debian kernel version 2.16.15, autolaunchers for all sorts of removable media, and much more. Read the changelog, view some screenshots, and download.

"A group of leading developers calling themselves Dunc-Tank is preparing to pay selected Debian developers to complete specific projects. But although Dunc-Tank's first goal is the practical one of ensuring that the next version of Debian is ready for its scheduled release, its announcement has also publicized a previously private debate about what happens when free software developers suddenly receive pay for what they are already doing for personal reasons."

"The Debian project has updated the stable distribution Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 (codename sarge). This update mainly adds security updates to the stable release, along with a few corrections to serious problems. Those who frequently update from security.debian.org won't have to update many packages and most updates from security.debian.org are included in this update."

Debian has without much fanfare released the beta 3 of Etch, the final release slated to take place sometime this year. This review looks at what Debian has for the Linux enthusiast with its latest offering.

Debian.org reports - The Debian Installer team is proud to announce the third beta release of the installer for Debian GNU/Linux Etch. Major new features introduced with this release includes the option to install using a graphical user interface on i386 and amd64. OSDir has some shots of Etch Beta 3 graphical installer in the Debian Installer Etch Beta 3 Screenshot Tour.

"Most Debian GNU/Linux neophytes find that distribution's default installer a bit difficult and ugly. While developers are working on a new installer for Debian Etch, there is a fully baked command-line alternative today: debootstrap. Debootstrap creates a basic Debian installation, and can also be used for creating custom, minimal installations on embedded systems or for replacing a pre-installed Linux distribution with Debian on a co-located server."

Debian is a steadfastly noncommercial version of Linux. But Hewlett-Packard will give it a big corporate hug Monday with the announcement of a plan to provide support for the open-source operating system.

"Debian and Ubuntu. Ubuntu and Debian. How are they different? How are they the same? Well, most of the differences lie in the target userbase of the OSes. Debian is attempting the unattemptable by making a distro that's right for almost every use imaginable. Servers use it, workstations use it, monkeys I'm sure could use it too. That comes at a price." More here.