Re: debian version ID

["Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@galactic.demon.co.uk>]

On Mon, Aug 01, 2016 at 02:56:54AM -0400, Felix Miata wrote:
> Will someone please explain (or point to, since it's not in release notes), why:
> 
> 1: /etc/os-release (in Jessie at least) does not include the point release
> version as represented by /etc/debian_version
> 

/etc/os-release just contains major version - the absolute need for minor version is small.
(point releases do not now introduce major changes - the numbering policy changed around Debian 7 IIRC.)
Point releases are, after all, only a convenient way of gathering up security and minor fixes - if you do
an apt-get update or similar regularly then you move up through the point releases anyway, if you install from
say, 8.0 netboot media, then the installation process itself updates you. If you were to install from 8.0 media
alone then the first apt-get update / apt-get full-upgrade once connected to the network would bring you to 8.5


> 2: 8.5 (as installed here on host gx62b) is not using the (LTS) 4.4 kernel

At the time when Jessie was released, the 4.4 kernel wasn't quite stable, I think. If you use Jessie backports
you get 4.6 otherwise you get 3.16. That's the trade off between unconditionally stable with lots of testing
and security support and the pace of software development outside.

All best,

AndyC
> -- 
> Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/