release announcement last call
***** THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT *****
* Debian is NOT released! This is a DRAFT announcement *
* for an UNRELEASED version of Debian. Go away. *
***** THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT *****
The Debian Project is pleased to announce the release of Debian GNU/Linux
version 3.0. Debian GNU/Linux is a free operating system, developed by
nearly a thousand volunteers from all over the world who collaborate via
the Internet. Debian's dedication to free software, its non-profit nature,
and its open development model make it unique among Linux distributions.
This is the first version of Debian to feature cryptographic software
integrated into the main distribution. OpenSSH and GNU Privacy Guard are
included in the default install, and strong encryption is now present in
web browsers and web servers, databases, and so forth. Further integration
of crypto is planned for future releases.
With the addition of the ia64, hppa, mips, mipsel, and s390 architectures,
Debian GNU/Linux now supports a total of eleven architectures. It now runs on
computers ranging from palmtops to supercomputers, and nearly everything
in between, including the latest generation of 64 bit machines.
For the first time, Debian comes with the KDE desktop environment. The
GNOME desktop environment is upgraded to version 1.4, and X itself is
upgraded to the much improved XFree86 4.1. With the addition of several
full-featured free graphical web browsers in the form of mozilla, galeon,
and konqueror, Debian's desktop offerings have radically improved.
This version of Debian supports the 2.2 and 2.4 releases of the Linux
kernel. Along with better support for a greater variety of new hardware
(such as USB) and significant improvements in usability and stability, the
2.4 kernel provides support for the ext3 and reiserfs journalling filesystems.
Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 features a more streamlined and polished installation,
which is translated into numerous languages. The debconf tool is used to
streamline configuration of the system. The task system has been revamped
and made more flexible. Debian GNU/Linux can be installed from CD, or from
the network and a few floppies. It can be downloaded now, and will soon be
available on CD-ROM from numerous vendors <http://www.debian.org/CD/>.
Upgrades to Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 from earlier releases are automatically
handled by the apt package management tool. As always, Debian GNU/Linux
systems can be upgraded painlessly, in place, with no downtime. For
detailed instructions about installing and upgrading Debian GNU/Linux,
please see the release notes
<http://www.debian.org/releases/woody/releasenotes>.
Current Debian users may be interested to know that this release of Debian
supports build dependencies, to aid in building packages from source, and
apt pinning, to ease partial upgrades to our testing branch. Aptitude is
an alternative for the venerable dselect program and will make it easier to
select packages. Four thousand new software packages are added to the
distribution in Debian GNU/Linux 3.0.
This is the first release of Debian to be compatible with version 2.2 of
the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS). Debian GNU/Linux now also supports
software developed for the Linux Standard Base (LSB), though it is not yet
LSB certified.
The Debian project's key strengths are its volunteer base, its dedication
to the Debian Social Contract, and its commitment to provide the best
operating system possible. Debian 3.0 is another important step in that
direction.
--
see shy jo
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