Re: apt-get update question

[Stephen Liu <satimis@icare.com.hk>]

Hi Simon, Colin and others

- snip -

> You don't have to comment out one of the sources,
> though you could do this. Keep both in your
> sources.list and run apt-get update. Running apt-get
> upgrade or apt-get install package_x after that will
> only pull it in from stable unless you use the '-t
> testing' flag on the command line.

I am a little bid confused here.  To my understanding:-

1) If I want to upgrade all testing packages, I configure
/etc/apt/sources.list  as

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Sarge_ -
Official NetInst Snapshot i386
Binary-1 (20031118)]/ unstable contrib main

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing main
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing main

deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main
contrib

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main
contrib
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main
contrib


2) If I want to upgrade unstable packages, I configure
/etc/apt/sources.list  as

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Sarge_ -
Official NetInst Snapshot i386
Binary-1 (20031118)]/ unstable contrib main

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ unstable main
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ unstable main

deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main
contrib

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main
contrib
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main
contrib


3) Or just follow Simon's advice keeping
/etc/apt/sources.list  as

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Sarge_ -
Official NetInst Snapshot i386
Binary-1 (20031118)]/ unstable contrib main

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing main
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing main

deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main
contrib

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main
contrib
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ stable main
contrib

Run
# apt-get update
# apt-get upgrade
It will upgrade all unstable packages

And
# apt-get update
# apt-get upgrade -t
Then it will upgrade all testing packages

If I am wrong, please correct me.


> HOWEVER, be aware that running a mixed stable/testing
> system could lead to conflicts and breakages. A
> testing/unstable mix is generally a safer approach.

Please explain in more detail.  Whether I have to re-edit
/etc/apt/sources.list  as

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux testing _Sarge_ -
Official NetInst Snapshot i386
Binary-1 (20031118)]/ unstable contrib main

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing main
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ testing main

deb http://security.debian.org/ unstable/updates main
contrib

deb ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ unstable main
contrib
deb-src ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/ unstable main
contrib

Replacing all 'stable's with 'unstable's

TIA

B.R.
Stephen