On 8/1/2016 1:53 AM, Felix Miata wrote:
Ben Finney composed on 2016-08-01 03:20 (UTC-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
The proximate explanation is: Because the API for that file is
different. It describes the stable release for its whole lifetime, not
the updates made since that version of Debian was released.
Given the many possible options[1] for that file's content, one would think there would be a way to get the extra detail in, maybe VERSION_ID=8 and VERSION="8.5 (Jessie)", or move "Jessie" to VERSION_CODENAME and put 8.5 as VERSION.
Think of it like this.
The last "version" of Debian released is 8. The x.4, x.5, etc.. have no meaning on the running system, either you have
kept up with the updates and your system is secure, or you have not kept up with the updates and your system is
potentially vulnerable.
The installation media is 8.5 because it includes packages that have been updated since the initial release and you need
a way to differentiate earlier and later versions of the installation media.
There may be more to x.x the Debian developer side of things, but for us end users that all we really need
to know.
It tells you right in the announcement....
https://www.debian.org/News/2016/20160604
"Please note that this update does not constitute a new version of Debian 8 but only updates some of the packages included.
There is no need to throw away old "jessie" CDs or DVDs but only to update via an up-to-date Debian mirror after an
installation, to cause any out of date packages to be updated."
Later, Seeker
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