[NCLUG] Debian Question

[Paul Hummer]

> I installed Debian "Testing" on my system here at home. I have got it 
> just the way I want it. Minimal install with fluxbox and a few other 
> apps to make it lean. I also changed the "/etc/apt/sources.list" file 
> to say "testing" everywhere it used to said "lenny."
>
> I typically do an "apt-get update," "apt-get upgrade," "apt-get 
> dist-upgrade," and an "apt-get clean" at least once a week to keep it 
> up to date.
You shouldn't need to apt-get dist-upgrade very often, if at all.  The 
cron-apt package might help, but I didn't like it because it would 
upgrade and break at a critical time, so I stopped it and just do the 
upgrades manually, making note to only upgrade when I could afford to 
have something not work.
>
> So my first question is how long will I get away with this? Is it 
> possible to keep my new Debian "testing" system this way? Or is there 
> some time in the future when I will need to re-install to get an 
> updated system?
This is the greatest thing about Debian.  Debian was my first chosen 
distro (before that, I installed whatever someone would give me), and so 
I cut my teeth on it.  When I switched to Ubuntu last year on my 
desktop, the whole "re-installing" confused me.  I even tried apt-get 
update; apt-get upgrade on Ubuntu Edgy, only to COMPLETELY hork 
everything.  Yes, Ubuntu has an application that will help you update to 
a new revision (from Feisty to Gutsy has gone without a hitch both times),
> I would prefer to never do another major upgrade that involves a 
> complete re-install, or at least only need to do it every 4 or 5 years 
> if possible.
I know that many of the major distros including Ubuntu and Fedora have 
been working on a way to upgrade without re-installing the box.  Even 
SuSe is getting in on the action.  Having Debian do this is becoming a 
precedent.

Thanks,
Paul