Re: Updating Packages in Debian Squeeze from Backports/Testing

[Noah Duffy <n.milo.duffy@gmail.com>]

On Tue, Jun 14, 2011 at 11:40 AM, Jimmy Wu <jimmywu013@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 00:35, Camaleón <noelamac@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Tue, 14 Jun 2011 10:37:28 -0500, Noah Duffy wrote:
>>
>> (...)
>>
>>> Is it recommended to install packages from testing?  I know this often
>>> also updates dependencies that other software may use causing the system
>>> to potentially not be as secure or stable.
>>
>> I'd say that would depend on the package you want to upgrade.
>>
>> Look, Banshee for squeeze depends on libc6 >= 2.7 but in wheezy needs >=
>> 2.13. Will you update your libc6? I, for sure, wouldn't :-)
>
> An alternative is to add a deb-src line for wheezy or sid, whichever
> you want, to sources.list and attempt a "simple sid backport" with
> apt-get source -b.  This will download the updated source and compile
> it on your system, using the libc6 you currently have unless it
> build-depends on a new libc6.  Of course make sure you have
> build-essentials and the like installed.  There's also a simple
> backporting tutorial on the debian user forums here:
> http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=38976

I read the guide you posted, and it seems simple enough.  I understand
it as this:

Let's say I want to "backport" Banshee from Wheezy because it's
version 2.0.1, I could add the source repository for wheezy to my
sources, and build that package following the instructions that way.

The only thing I didn't quite understand was changing the version
number to version~bpo50+1.  They say this makes the version number
less than the one you're building.  I don't understand how it makes it
less, but either way, I'm assuming this is done for the exact reason I
mentioned originally.  If I installed a newer package and then
upgraded to the next stable release, it's package will trump mine?

Thank you guys for sharing your knowledge and having patience when it
comes to folks like me.  :)

P.S. Forgot to hit reply to all the first time... Silly Gmail.

Thanks,
Noah Duffy