Re: Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue

[Camaleón <noelamac@gmail.com>]

On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:09:49 -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:

> On 20120702_144837, Camaleón wrote:
>> On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:15:42 +0200, Mark Panen wrote:
>> 
>> > Is it safe to have backports enabled on a stable Squeeze 6.05 system?
>> 
>> I'd say now is even safer than before because the backported packages
>> are integrated within the official repositories which should lead to
>> less packages/libraries collisions.
>> 
>> Just use it with caution and consider a correct pinning if you are
>> planing of making an intensive use of them.

> This comment is addressed to this thread because it is a question that
> has puzzled me about squeeze-backports. I know that one must do a
> special thing, namely -t option in order to actually download and
> install a backported package, 

For installing single packages, yes, "-t" should be enough. Otherwise, 
pinning (prioritize backports over the standard repositories) should be 
more convenient.

> but how does one know of the existance of a backported package. 

As usual, you go to the online search and type the name of the package. 
If there's a backport counterpart it will listed there.

You can also query from here:

http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/

> For packages in the general main/squeeze grouping, I have browsed the
> interactive user interface of Aptitude. Do the backports show up there
> if I add the line to my sources.list? If no, where do I browse? If yes,
> how do I know that they are somehow special, and that I need to do more
> than typing a simple + to select them?

(...)

I don't use the backport repositories but I guess yes, if you have it 
listed in your "sources.list" the queries (e.g., apt-search) should also 
provide the versions of the packages available in the backports.

Anyway, I prefer to use the web search instead, I feel more confortable 
with the online interface where I can get extra information for the 
packages.

Greetings,

-- 
Camaleón