Re: how many CDs for v3.1 r3?
On Mon, Nov 13, 2006 at 12:23:11PM -0800, anonymous wrote:
>
> Many thanks for your elaborated reply. I prefer to download the iso
> image at least for the
> first time install of the distribution as it would give me a better
> *feel* about the distribution
> and the packages included with it. Later, I can manage my machine even
> when the
> network is not available. May be installing next release of Debian, I
> would go for a network
> install.
>
If you have reasonable 'Net bandwidth and download one "netinst" CD,
(110 MB or so for Intel i386) from http://cdimage.debian.org and use
the package selector, it will give you the chance to select from roughly
18,000 packages and install them from the 'Net.
>
Current stable a.k.a Sarge is 15 CDs for binaries / 15CDs for source
2 DVD's for binary, 3 DVD's for source. If you already _have_ Debian
3.1 installed then you can update to fully current with three CD's.
Taking CD and DVD count for current Debian "testing" a.k.a Etch which
should be released as stable within the next month:
Three full DVD's / 21 CD's of binaries, three DVD's / 20 CD's of source.
~= 6DVD / 41 CD total
> I am unable to decide which one of these is correct.
>
> Having used Redhat and Slackware before which just use 4 CDs each for
> the boot and
> packages and a couple more for the documentation and sources, it is
> difficult for me to take
> 15 CDs for the installation of packages alone.
>
> IF this *is* really the case, there should be some good reason for
> this: Does debian offer a
> lot of packages choices? Lot more than does either slackware or redhat
> so as to need this
> much number of CDs?
>
Yes, Debian offers many more packages than almost any other
distribution. Chances are, if you can think of a package, then someone
has either packaged it already or will package it for Debian if the
licence is appropriate. Some very large packages e.g. OpenOffice may
contain lots of localisation/help files or other i18n "stuff" so that
you can install the parts you want
> OR the .deb packages are not as much efficient and do not use good
> compression to
> squeeze them all in a fewer CDs?
>
.debs are an archive formed using ar, cpio and .tar files if I remember
correctly.
>
HTH,
Andy
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