dist-upgrade and sources.list

["Basajaun" <isilanes@bluebottle.com>]

Hi all,

I have been using Debian Sarge back from the "old" days when it was
"testing" :^), and now that it became "stable", I have a couple of
questions...

My impression (correct me if I'm wrong) is that whatever sources you
put in "sources.list" have nothing to do with the version of Debian you
are running. Those lines only tell apt-get where to look for the
packages, but apt-get will ignore the ones not matching your version.
Actually, while writing this post, I have read "man apt_preferences",
and I am still digesting it... anyway...

What this means is that if I put "sarge" or "stable" (both are synonyms
now)  where I had "testing", my system will continue updating
"correctly", but even if I keep "testing" as sources (which would be
inappropriate for my box now), no harm will be done: apt-get will
simply look only in the directories I provide (testing ones), and
conclude that the stuff there corresponds to Debian 3.2 Etch, not
Debian 3.1 Sarge, and  downright ignore it, telling me that 0
updateable packages where found, isn't it so?

The second question is the use of "apt-get dist-upgrade". Say I am
running Debian 3.1 Sarge (stable), and I want to upgrade to Debian 3.2
Etch (testing)... how does apt-get know it has to upgrade me to Etch,
and not Sid? It always upgrades stepwise (stable -> testing -> etch)?

TIA,

     Basajaun