>>>>> "Andy" == Andy Saxena <ansaxena@engr.uconn.edu> writes: Andy> On Sid about a 100 or so packages are updated everyday. A few weeks ago, I Andy> had a severely disabled system when the PAM modules failed to function. In Andy> essence, I couldn't log into the system. Another important rule for using sid is: know your stuff, inside *and* out. I'm not trying to put you down here, I'm just noting that you *can* run unstable. You just have to know how to get out of a mess if sid throws you in one. (And anyway, the fact that you still run your system shows that you knew how to solve the pam problem...) Andy> 2)"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Many will recommend Andy> that a cron job be run to update packages daily. You mean "apt-get upgrade" nightly? I've honestly never heard anyone recommend this. (Completely disregarding the fact that it's not even possible... one config question and you're dead). The usual is "apt-get update; apt-get -dy upgrade". So when you want to install any upgrade in normal waking hours, you can w/o having to run a download. Andy> 4) Some packages - like the libpam package - can break your Andy> sytem critically. Be very wary when upgrading these Andy> packages. It would be wise to download the package, and Andy> watch the mailing list for updates in the days Andy> following. Better still, wait a few days and watch the bug Andy> reports posted for that package. Once satisfied that the Andy> package is "stable", install it. This bears repeating: Know what the packages do. And know which you have to look out for (which can cripple your system, or have an impact on a lot of critical apps). When new unstable libc appeared in sid a while ago (quite a while... I think it was before potato, so woody was still unstable, not testing), I waited a couple weeks even. Until I couldn't stand not being able to upgrade almost all the other packages ;-) Bye, J -- Jürgen A. Erhard (juergen.erhard@gmx.net, jae@users.sourceforge.net) My WebHome: http://members.tripod.com/Juergen_Erhard "Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future. Today is a gift -- which is why they call it the present." -- Butterfly
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