Re: combining stable and testing in sources.list

[Hans <hans.ullrich@loop.de>]

Hi Greg, 

thanks for the response. That makes sense and it makes it clear. So my way is 
also ok. 

However, sometimes I added a package from unstable (mostly, because it was 
either broken in testing or only available in stable and unstable, but not 
testing), but (thumbs pressed) I had never problems with it, even when 
libraries got added or updated. 

But I will remember your advice for my customers, which run debian/stable.

Again, thanks and have a nice week.

Best

Hans
t> 
> If you are running testing, but occasionally need something from the
> stable release, then this is fine.
> 
> Analogously, if you are running stable, but occasionally need something
> from oldstable, adding a deb line from the previous release is usually
> fine.
> 
> What is NOT fine is trying to do the reverse -- running stable but
> desiring a package from a NEWER branch.  Bringing in a package that
> is compiled for testing or unstable will also bring in all of the
> testing/unstable libraries that the package depends on and is linked
> against, and will make a complete mess of everything.
> 
> We call that resulting mess a Frankendebian.
> 
> Use backports instead.  That's what they're for.  Backports are compiled
> and linked using the stable libraries, so they don't bring in newer
> libraries and break everything.