Re: Where should I start ?
Paul E Condon <pecondon@mesanetworks.net> writes:
> On Thu, Jul 08, 2004 at 12:00:10AM +1000, mjwok@optusnet.com.au wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I have a simple question (well maybe two).
> >
> > Which version of Debian should I download, sarge
> > or woody ? (I am limited to 12Gb download a month)
> >
> > If I do download the CDROM images is it possible
> > to convert them to DVD images (or vice a versa
> > DVD to CD)?
> >
> > Thank you
> > Michael
> >
>
> Woody CDs amount to about 4.5GB. Sarge doesn't have a CD set yet (I
> think), but does have a new net install CD image (ie one CD only).
> 12 GB per month seems to me to be not an important issue. Also,
> for Woody, you do _not_ need all those CDs to install. Most people
> need only the first CD. I needed the first and second on one machine
> because it happened to be pure SCSI, and 1st Woody CD only boots
> using IDE.
I really like the minimal CD netinst images. Depending upon what you
want to install, a working system needs somewhat less than 14 GB of
downloading. With the netinstall you download only what you need.
With the multi CD complete set, there will be a lot of stuff you'll
never need.
Still, the netinst method can easily be a few GB (especially if you
have a false start or two) and you don't have many to burn. You might
consider buying a CD set.
> Upgrading from Woody to Sarge is easy, but takes an hour or so. If you
> are new to Debian, and hope to commit to it, either version is OK as a
> start. With Sarge you get a head start on using the version that will
> soon be "stable". With Woody, you start learning what Debian has been
> in the recent past, and about upgrading and dist-upgrading to get to
> the new stable.
I say choose between stable or unstable/sid.
I think "testing" is a bad choice for a running system. Debian
developers use testing to create the new stable. For testing, all
packages must have a try-out period in unstable and are not accepted
into testing until dependencies and such are also met. This means
that glaring obvious bugs are rare, however, there are no other
mechanisms for security or bug fixes to enter testing. Once a problem
enters testing it can stay there a long time -- sometimes many
months. A functionality bug for six months is annoying. A security
bug for six months could be more than annoying.
I have seen suggestions about running testing and then manually
picking from unstable to fight the bugs that do get through. This
might be a very good strategy but requires more work on the part
of the administrator.
> Unlike other distributions, with Debian, you really do upgrade from
> one version to the next. You never need to re-install, except if you
> discover that you did something really really incompatible with your
> vision of what you want.
It is rather difficult to go back to and older version of debian. If
you upgrade to sarge or unstable/sid and want to go back to stable,
then a re-install is needed.
> You might also consider using Knoppix or some other 'live CD' version
> of Debian. This gets you up and running quickly, but the transition
> to a truly policy compliant Debian installation is not so straight
> forward as with Woody or Sarge.
>
> HTH
>
> --
> Paul E Condon
> pecondon@mesanetworks.net
>
>
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--
Johan KULLSTAM
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