Re: managing source packages
>> I have been using Debian stable on my laptop for some time now, and I
>> really appreciate it, especially because updates do not break things
>> that work well. However, sometimes I need a package/feature that is only
>> in testing/unstable, and which is not (yet) in backports. The safest way
>> (I guess) to deal with those packages is to install them from source
>> using "apt-get build-dep / apt-get -b source / dpkg -i"
>
> Most of the time you can install updated debs from unstable or testing
> onto stable boxes. Is there a specific reason you can't/won't do this?
Isn't it less safe than source debs? I mean, those packages are compiled
with newer versions of system libraries than the ones in Etch, so they
may simply refuse to work. The source packages should be safer here --
once they compile on Etch, they should work on Etch without problems.
> Other options:
>
> - Install newer versions from Ubuntu or other 3rd-party locations
>
> - Maintain your own (partial) debian mirror with updated binary
> versions for Etch
>
> - Help backports keep your favourite packages up to date.
Those are indeed good alternatives -- to consider in the future (along
with schroot proposed before).
> You could try using apt-src or apt-build.
This is, more or less, what I was looking for -- I'm not sure if they
have all the features I want, but I see from the man pages that they
should make dealing with source "debs" much easier. Thanks a lot!
> I use debfoster.
>From the home page of debfoster: it has been depreciated, because all
the features of debfoster are already in aptitude.
Best,
Michal
Reply to: