Translation of release notes
I posted this to debian-publicity a few days ago.
But it doesn't look like there is much action there...
Here is my translation of Joey's document into english .
Feel free to edit it or
use any part in an official release statement.
Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 released
After seven months of development, the new version of the well
known Linux distribution was released in early March.
Debian GNU/Linux consists of 100% free software. The goal
of the Debian project is to keep Linux systems and their
components free and to promote free software. Debian's
definition of "free software" is laid out in the Debian
social contract <http://www.debian.de/social_contract>.
Debian 2.1, code-named "slink", was released not only for
Intel x86 based machines, but also for Alpha, Motorola
680x0, and SPARC based machines. The SPARC and Motorola
distributions appear for the first time in this release.
Debian GNU/Linux is by far the most comprehensive of the
Linux distributions. The current release contains more than
2250 pre-compiled, pre-configured binary packages which
have been compiled from some 1500 source packages by over
400 volunteer workers. All of the important networking and
database software that one expects in a contemporary Linux
distribution is present. However, the packages cover a
enormous range of uses, representing all the diversity of
free software users.
Of course, the most popular free software is found in the
new release, including the current version of the X11
graphics system (XFree863.3.2.3a), PostgreSQL (6.3.2), GIMP
(1.0.2), Apache (1.3.3), and even Roxen (1.2.46). The
applications developer will also find a large number of C,
Perl, and Python libraries.
Debian is still based on the flexible .deb format. The
powerful package manager ``dpkg'', allows easy installation,
maintainence, and upgrading of packages. In particular,
dpkg implements a carefully conceived method for handling
dependencies and configuration. Packages from other Linux
distributions can be installed via the ``alien'' program.
The package management system is completed with the familiar
frontend ``dselect'', as well as with the new ``apt''
package, together with refined administration
mechanisms. These mechanisms provide for optimal integration
of packages with the system. For instance, packages are
registered with an abstract menu system from which all
window managers construct menus of available programs
automatically upon installation. Another mechanism allows
installation of interchangeable packages to provide a
desired function that other packages may depend upon, (i.e,
different ``vi'' clones). Yet another, is the installation
of methods to display different MIME-types.
Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 is delivered with the well tested and
groomed kernel 2.0.36 . During the testing phase of Debian 2.1,
kernel 2.2 was released. However it has proven to be not
sufficiently stable. In addition, a few packages must be
upgraded. For the few cases where the newer kernel is
necessary, details on the upgrade can be found at
<http://www.debian.de/releases/slink/running-kernel-2.2> .
Since the previous release, the distribution has grown to
such an extent that it can no longer be contained on a
single CD. Therefore, the ``multi-CD'' method was developed
to install the distribution from a set of official CD's. As
usual, the official CD images can be downloaded from
<http://cdimage.debian.org/>. These images are useful only
to those who wish to manufacture CD's, and not to those who
wish to download the distribution to install it without a
CD. The official CD images consist of two source code CDs
and two binary CDs.
The installation diskette is available in English or
German. As usual, the installation program can be booted via
the installation diskette or CD, while the remaining
installation can be made via CD, hard disk, NFS, or HTTP.
The current development distribution of Debian 2.2 can be
found on the ftp servers in the distribution named
``unstable'' (or the code name ``potato''). New packages
and upgraded packages are being integrated into potato. The
package management and installation methods are under
intensive development. Also, the developers are working on
additional architectures, such as PowerPC and ARM (used in the
Netwinder), as well as on a version which employs the Hurd
kernel.
WWW: http://www.debian.org/
FTP: ftp://ftp.debian.org/pub/debian/
Mirrors: http://www.debian.org/distrib/ftplist
Vendors: http://www.debian.org/distrib/vendors
CD Images: http://cdimage.debian.org/
--
John Lapeyre <lapeyre@physics.arizona.edu>, lapeyre@debian.org
Tucson,AZ http://www.physics.arizona.edu/~lapeyre
----- End forwarded message -----
--
John Lapeyre <lapeyre@physics.arizona.edu>, lapeyre@debian.org
Tucson,AZ http://www.physics.arizona.edu/~lapeyre
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