In <20090708155214.ga5...@osamu.debian.net>, Osamu Aoki wrote: >On Wed, Jul 08, 2009 at 10:41:44AM -0500, Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. wrote: >> In <90bb445a0907071607k26d7720fwf19c65e91c501...@mail.gmail.com>, Akira >> Kitada wrote: >> >So here's my question. How can you manage new softwares while keeping >> >the system stable? >> >Using packages from backports.org or Sid? Do you build .deb packages >> > yourself? Can you keep the Lenny's intact? > >Probably with backports.org, you are OK. >Usually not with Sid.... > >> http://www.iguanasuicide.net/node/4 >> >> You can choose the version from backports, testing, sid, or experimental >> through the aptitude curses interface, or by using 'aptitude install -t >> $release $packages' or 'aptitude install $package=$version'. > >"You can install a package" is different from "you can get reliable >system". This type of reckless comment is dengerous as advise to >general publuc. (Boyd knowing well, he may be OK) I was once reminden >by other DD when I made similar remarks...
It's true that a mixed system isn't completely supported. However, upgrading from oldstable to stable leaves you with a mixed system during parts of the upgrade. So, at the very least, packages in testing have to be somewhat compatible with packages in stable. The main difficulty I've encountered when running a mixed system is that 'aptitude safe-upgrade' and 'aptitude full-upgrade' often need more advice as to what to install. I found the aptitude curses UI quite valuable when resolving those issues. If you throw up your hands and mail the list as soon as aptitude can't auto-resolve an installation/upgrade to your satisfaction, a mixed system isn't for you. >> If Sid/experimental doesn't contain a new enough package for you, find >> it is some other signed repository, add it to your sources.list, set a >> priority (200 maybe?) for it, and add the signing key to your apt >> keychain. >> >> If it isn't in any signed repository, just install a .deb using dpkg, or >> an .rpm via alien. If you *have* to compile to software yourself, roll >> your own .deb; it's not that hard to make a minimal one so that the >> software can be easily uninstalled and file conflicts can be detected. > >Oh.... you are going too far. The supported options are (a) don't install that software or (b) get that software into Debian by becoming a Debian maintainer. Some people can't/won't take either of those options. My advice is a third option. It is not supported, but it works quite a bit better than doing all the work of a package manager yourself. Stow, mentioned elsewhere in the thread, is also a great tool if there is no .deb available, but it still leaves you having to fight with the ./configure && make process which is not *always* trivial. -- Boyd Stephen Smith Jr. ,= ,-_-. =. b...@iguanasuicide.net ((_/)o o(\_)) ICQ: 514984 YM/AIM: DaTwinkDaddy `-'(. .)`-' http://iguanasuicide.net/ \_/
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