Re: Choosing a distribution (was: Just a simple query)
On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:56:25 +0530
Linux Tyro <ubuntu.bkn@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
>
> Okk. It means that they soon changes but at least Debian is rock solid
> stable (because it is not the test bed of anybody like SLES or RHEL or
> anyother...). Is it exactly like this that Debian is only for those
> who need a very stable distro rather than becoming a test bed for the
> services to any other commercial product(s)...?
>
'Stability' and 'getting new software frequently' are incompatible.
Debian has three distributions running. The only one advertised and
called just 'Debian' is the Stable version. It receives quick fixes for
security bugs, but on the whole, no new software. The software version
which exists when it is released (roughly every two years) is the one
it keeps until the distribution is no longer supported. Stable is used
mostly for servers, which need exactly this behaviour, but it's also
the most suitable for new users, as like server administrators, they
don't like surprises.
Debian Testing is the testbed for Stable, and is probably roughly equal
to Fedora and openSUSE in this respect. It is frozen, probably six to
twelve months before a new Stable release, and after that does not
change dramatically, though software versions may be upgraded. It mostly
works almost fully, and is a good choice for a desktop once you are
able to use the upgrade system easily and can therefore fix simple
problems. The current Testing is not yet frozen.
Debian Unstable is the testbed for Testing, where new software is first
integrated into a Debian system, and hence is likely to cause trouble
for users fairly often. It will have the latest software, but at any
time there are often things which don't work, or work badly. They are
generally repaired quickly, within a day or two, but Unstable is only
recommended for people with the experience to fix things, and with
at least one more Internet-connected computer.
There is a naming system, under which the current Stable is called
Squeeze, and the current Testing is Wheezy. At some time, probably
about a year from now, Wheezy will become Stable, and Testing will then
be given a new name and start to rapidly change. Unstable is always
called Sid, and never has new versions, it just evolves continuously.
Testing also evolves, in that it is not upgraded but it very quickly
changes after the Stable release. Stable does not evolve, it has to be
upgraded, but the fact that it is widely used on servers means that a
large amount of work goes into ensuring that the upgrade happens with
the minimum possible disturbance to the system, and generally very
little downtime apart from two reboots.
There are also many systems based on Debian, which usually aim to make
some aspects easier for beginners. The best-known one today is Ubuntu,
which is almost a dirty word here, because some of its publisher's
policies are apparently aimed at improving popularity at the expense of
flexibility and power, and possibly stability.
Ubuntu does, however, install easily on new hardware, and sometimes
Debian Stable has problems there. Knoppix is generally felt to be best
of all in this respect, but Knoppix really is just a live-CD
distribution, and is not suitable for installation as it cannot be
upgraded. It is extremely useful for finding out what software is
necessary for difficult hardware, and Debian users usually keep it
available for this reason. Both Knoppix and Ubuntu are real Debian
underneath, using the same software installation system, and mostly the
same system file locations, but they draw heavily on Sid rather than
the more stable variants, so they can be a bit unreliable.
--
Joe
Reply to: