Re: Debian version and apt.conf (was Re: i think I switched to Etch without knowing it)

[Marty <martyb@ix.netcom.com>]

Chris Bannister wrote:
> On Fri, Jun 10, 2005 at 02:39:02PM -0400, Marty wrote:
> > Clive Menzies wrote:
> > >On (10/06/05 13:13), Marty wrote:
> >
> > >>This is all very mysterious to me, all these people lacking an apt.conf 
> > >>file.
> > >>I wonder how apt can function without it?  In particular, how do you 
> > >>specify
> > >>your Debian version?!
> > >>
> > >I think it's mainly for situations where you have multiple versions in
> > >your sources.list and need to specify which is preferred.  If you only
> > >have one  version in the list thene it is superfluous.
> >
> > I still don't understand where apt gets the Debian version.  If it infers
> > it from the repository name then pointing to the wrong repository would
> > mean disaster, but I've never seen that.  My guess would be the
> > /etc/debian_version file, but it mildly freaks me out that I never knew
> > it before now.
>
> /etc/debian_version is in base-files?

Yes:

marty@algernon:~$ dlocate debian_version
base-files: /etc/debian_version

 If upgrading to sarge with 'sarge
> apt', would it not freak out with woody base-files?

Summarizing this sub-thread from its beginning, the consensus up to
this point, to my surprise, is that "Debian versions" (i.e. OS version
as opposed to package versions) do not really exist, at least as
far as apt or other installation tools are concerned.

> ls -al /var/lib/apt/lists/

Yes, that.  There are a number of other qeustions and implications,
but I'm just glad it all works as advertised.  :-)