Comments on: Switch to Debian http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian Transmissions from the Little Blue Marble Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:17:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Patrick McFarland http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1421 Patrick McFarland Wed, 20 Sep 2006 01:33:35 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1421 David, you do not have to reinstall Ubuntu or Debian to upgrade. Simply edit your <code>/etc/apt/sources.list</code>, and where it says <code>breezy</code> (codename for 5.10), just change it to <code>dapper</code> (codename for 6.06) in all places where <code>breezy</code> appears. Then do <code>apt-get update</code> and <code>apt-get dist-upgrade</code> to upgrade all your packages. Debian and Ubuntu are both designed to install once, and upgrade many. Its only Windows that talked people into doing otherwise. David, you do not have to reinstall Ubuntu or Debian to upgrade. Simply edit your /etc/apt/sources.list, and where it says breezy (codename for 5.10), just change it to dapper (codename for 6.06) in all places where breezy appears. Then do apt-get update and apt-get dist-upgrade to upgrade all your packages.

Debian and Ubuntu are both designed to install once, and upgrade many. Its only Windows that talked people into doing otherwise.

]]> By: David Edwards http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1419 David Edwards Tue, 19 Sep 2006 22:03:41 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1419 Indeed, I have tried Ubuntu, since 5.10, and would have tried 6.06 if the installer would not completely freeze midway on the system I was trying it on. Also tried whatever version was between those two. Ubuntu was a good idea, but overdone, yet underdone. I for one wouldn't necessarily use its LAMP setup either, as it likes to toss the word Ubuntu all over the system. Debian does something similar, but some reason less annoying. ;) Indeed, I have tried Ubuntu, since 5.10, and would have tried 6.06 if the installer would not completely freeze midway on the system I was trying it on. Also tried whatever version was between those two.

Ubuntu was a good idea, but overdone, yet underdone. I for one wouldn’t necessarily use its LAMP setup either, as it likes to toss the word Ubuntu all over the system. Debian does something similar, but some reason less annoying. ;)

]]> By: Patrick McFarland http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1417 Patrick McFarland Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:19:59 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1417 Ubuntu installs too much crap by default, Coyote. Sure, I can install it using the "server" profile, or I can use the Desktop task on Debian and do the same thing, but Debian offers one thing Ubuntu does not: a plain "light" Gnome meta package, that doesn't include OpenOffice and a dozen other applications that just bloat things up. Ubuntu installs too much crap by default, Coyote. Sure, I can install it using the “server” profile, or I can use the Desktop task on Debian and do the same thing, but Debian offers one thing Ubuntu does not: a plain “light” Gnome meta package, that doesn’t include OpenOffice and a dozen other applications that just bloat things up.

]]> By: laughingcoyote http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1416 laughingcoyote Tue, 19 Sep 2006 09:20:07 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1416 I'm really not sure what you mean, I've used both Debian and Ubuntu and been quite happy with both. My secondary fileserver runs Debian Sarge, my laptop and main desktop run Ubuntu Dapper. I haven't found Ubuntu a bit harder to administer or customize-all the good stuff still works. Of course, though I well know how to mount a drive, it's nice not to have to -do- it every time I plug in my USB flash drive... I’m really not sure what you mean, I’ve used both Debian and Ubuntu and been quite happy with both. My secondary fileserver runs Debian Sarge, my laptop and main desktop run Ubuntu Dapper. I haven’t found Ubuntu a bit harder to administer or customize-all the good stuff still works. Of course, though I well know how to mount a drive, it’s nice not to have to -do- it every time I plug in my USB flash drive…

]]> By: Patrick McFarland http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1370 Patrick McFarland Mon, 11 Sep 2006 19:41:18 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1370 Except you fail to mention the root cause: the sysadmin of the machine failed to patch the kernel. That, and I do in fact remember this happening: Sid _did_ ship a patched kernel, the sysadmin failed to install a new kernel on gluck. Except you fail to mention the root cause: the sysadmin of the machine failed to patch the kernel. That, and I do in fact remember this happening: Sid _did_ ship a patched kernel, the sysadmin failed to install a new kernel on gluck.

]]> By: hyperion http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1369 hyperion Mon, 11 Sep 2006 14:46:39 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1369 Gah! I feel temptation to start a blog ranting about Debian's flaws... Just an example: Gluck.debian.org was rooted sometime before 2006 July 12. ( http://www.debian.org/News/2006/20060713 ) The vulnerability that was exploited was present in the kernels shipped by Debian, but they didn't release a security advisory about it to this day. The next kernel advisory released by Debian was on July 26, but it was about an other issue (CVE-2006-3626 versus CVE-2006-2451). However, Debian unstable (which runs on gluck) still shipped the vulnerable kernels for weeks after the compromise. Oh yeah and CVE-2006-2451 was assigned on May 18, for almost 2 months nobody noticed at Debian that their own box is rootable. They can't even keep their own servers secure. Gah! I feel temptation to start a blog ranting about Debian’s flaws…

Just an example:
Gluck.debian.org was rooted sometime before 2006 July 12. ( http://www.debian.org/News/2006/20060713 )
The vulnerability that was exploited was present in the kernels shipped by Debian, but they didn’t release a security advisory about it to this day. The next kernel advisory released by Debian was on July 26, but it was about an other issue (CVE-2006-3626 versus CVE-2006-2451). However, Debian unstable (which runs on gluck) still shipped the vulnerable kernels for weeks after the compromise.
Oh yeah and CVE-2006-2451 was assigned on May 18, for almost 2 months nobody noticed at Debian that their own box is rootable.

They can’t even keep their own servers secure.

]]> By: Patrick McFarland http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1365 Patrick McFarland Sun, 10 Sep 2006 19:35:17 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1365 "Boot" actually. I really need to proof-read harder before posting. “Boot” actually. I really need to proof-read harder before posting.

]]> By: Daniel T. Chen http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1364 Daniel T. Chen Sun, 10 Sep 2006 19:06:51 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1364 Do you mean "load" in the last sentence of this particular blog post? Do you mean “load” in the last sentence of this particular blog post?

]]> By: Patrick McFarland http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1362 Patrick McFarland Sun, 10 Sep 2006 16:24:43 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1362 I never said those people were sane. FreeBSD and Debian are the only things I'd ever consider for servers; and Debian is the only thing I'd ever consider for a desktop or workstation. I never said those people were sane. FreeBSD and Debian are the only things I’d ever consider for servers; and Debian is the only thing I’d ever consider for a desktop or workstation.

]]> By: hyperion http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1361 hyperion Sun, 10 Sep 2006 14:49:41 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1361 Because Fedora is so desktop oriented that kernel.org runs it. In fact, the majority of colo servers I've seen run either CentOS, Fedora, or FreeBSD... And I am a Debian user (with interruptions). Because Fedora is so desktop oriented that kernel.org runs it. In fact, the majority of colo servers I’ve seen run either CentOS, Fedora, or FreeBSD…

And I am a Debian user (with interruptions).

]]> By: Patrick McFarland http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1351 Patrick McFarland Sat, 09 Sep 2006 17:37:47 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1351 I could, but I'll probably save that for a future rant. Though, I may never get to such a rant because Fedora simply isn't relevant in the Linux world anymore. Ubuntu has almost single-handedly replaced all major desktop-oriented distros. I could, but I’ll probably save that for a future rant. Though, I may never get to such a rant because Fedora simply isn’t relevant in the Linux world anymore. Ubuntu has almost single-handedly replaced all major desktop-oriented distros.

]]> By: hyperion http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1350 hyperion Sat, 09 Sep 2006 16:02:18 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1350 >Fedora: a desktop distro that puts user friendlyness over sane software development. Hi :) Could you elaborate? >Fedora: a desktop distro that puts user friendlyness over sane software development.
Hi :) Could you elaborate?

]]> By: Lance http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian#comment-1345 Lance Fri, 08 Sep 2006 04:49:56 +0000 http://adterrasperaspera.com/blog/2006/09/07/switch-to-debian/#comment-1345 Ubuntu is an End User distribution. What did you expect from it? Glad people are getting over Ubuntu though. It was just a damn fad anyways. I used it for a month and deemed it a pain to use as a developer platform. It also ran slow as hell compared to a custom Debian/Gentoo install. The only thing I miss was the seamless device usage in Ubuntu, such as popping in a CD-ROM put an icon on the desktop, opened a window, and of course granted you the permissions to access it. I set the same thing up with hald and d-bus, but it's definitely not as clean as Ubuntu's implementation. At least Ubuntu did one thing right: GNOME. Other than that, it's just a crippled version of Debian. :P Ubuntu is an End User distribution. What did you expect from it?

Glad people are getting over Ubuntu though. It was just a damn fad anyways. I used it for a month and deemed it a pain to use as a developer platform. It also ran slow as hell compared to a custom Debian/Gentoo install.

The only thing I miss was the seamless device usage in Ubuntu, such as popping in a CD-ROM put an icon on the desktop, opened a window, and of course granted you the permissions to access it. I set the same thing up with hald and d-bus, but it’s definitely not as clean as Ubuntu’s implementation.

At least Ubuntu did one thing right: GNOME.

Other than that, it’s just a crippled version of Debian. :P

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