Re: how to get the latest STABLE releases?
%% Daniel Borgmann <danny@liebesgedichte.net> writes:
db> why aren't stable packages for the unstable tree moved to the
db> potato tree?
Because that would be very difficult. First, packages all depend on
other packages. The package in woody may well depend on other packages
with newer versions in woody, so you can't always just stuff one package
by itself from woody into potato. Second, people aren't testing the
package on potato, they're testing it on woody (usually), so just
because it appears stable on woody doesn't mean it will work as well on
potato.
db> am i dammned to use years old unstable software packages until
db> woody is released next year?
There is help coming for you. In the next few weeks, hopefully, the
entire unstable package archive will be rearranged completely (although,
it won't be obvious to us peons). The goal is to create a concept of
"package pools", so instead of just three package areas (stable, frozen,
unstable) we'll have as many as we like. Packages can/will appear in
more than one. The idea is you can declare, for example, that you want
to upgrade this pool of packages but not that one, etc.
Also, there's the "test package pool", where packages will automatically
be moved into that pool if that package (and all the packages it depends
on) has been available for 2 weeks or so with no critical bugs logged
against it; this should provide a pretty solid distribution.
The whole package dependency thing will allow this to all work without
simply generating a huge mess.
Once package pools are available, I predict many wonderful things will
start happening. Stay tuned.
db> can i use single woody packets (e.g. licq) on a potato base
db> without problems? and what should i do to do so? i mean, if i
db> only want to update licq but remain in the potato tree for every
db> other package.
You can update individual packages _if_ their prerequisites are all met.
Add the unstable tree to your apt.source list, then use "apt-get install
xxxx" to install just package xxxx. _Don't_ use "apt-get upgrade" or
"apt-get dist-upgrade" or you'll get all of woody.
If APT needs to install other woody packages in order to meet the
requirements for the package you want to install, it'll list them then
you have to decide whether you want to go ahead or not.
Your other alternative is to download the source to the woody package,
then build it into a package using your potato libraries, etc. using the
Debian package tools, then you can install that.
--
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Paul D. Smith <psmith@baynetworks.com> HASMAT--HA Software Methods & Tools
"Please remain calm...I may be mad, but I am a professional." --Mad Scientist
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These are my opinions---Nortel Networks takes no responsibility for them.
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