Living with the Debian Testing Branch

[GMaq]

Debian/GNU Linux has a multi "branch" system for bringing software packages into their distribution and administrating them. It can sort of be looked at as a bug testing filtration system, at the top is "Experimental" which doesn't really concern us here and at the bottom is "Stable" which as of now is best known as Debian 5.0 or "Lenny". In between are Debian Unstable better known as "Sid" and Debian Testing known as "Squeeze". All branches have their pros and cons and all branches (except Experimental) have Distros built with them, for example SiduX is a well known Distro based on Debian's Sid branch.

This is the paradox of using the Debian system, Debian Unstable gives access to the latest available software but often has issues with conflicts or breakages, Debian Stable has fully tested and reliable software but can be as much as a year behind on new releases. Every Linux Distro out there is trying to balance stability with the cutting edge, all of them have different ways of achieving it, This multi branch system is the Debian way and it works quite well if you are willing to play by the rules.

AV Linux is intended to be first and foremost a Distro for the creation of Audio and Video Content. Linux in general has established it self very well in other areas like general Desktop and Server application, however Linux as a viable alternative for Multimedia creation has been a relative latecomer. In the last few years there have been huge strides in both the quality and number of Multimedia applications for Linux. To realistically take best advantage of this progress curve any Multimedia-centred Distro has to have recent software packages and access to the ever-evolving new support libraries that they run on. This is the reason the AV Linux is based on Debian Testing in attempt to reconcile the need for fresh packages and  system stability as much as possible. An A/V Workstation must be looked at very differently than a regular Desktop Distribution. There are far more things to consider regarding balancing and maintaining a variety of issues relating to Hardware and Software and arbitrarily updating just for the sake of it at the "Testing" Level is will most likely break as much as it fixes or worse.

AV Linux is intentionally "Image" based. This means the ISO image you download should be complete with all the software you "need" to get to work right away. Before an ISO is released all the core applications will have been tested to make sure they run reliably. New ISO's will be tested and synced with the current state of Debian Testing so you will be up to date with Debian Testing with each release. Theoretically if the user is content with the software selection there is no need to update or upgrade at all between ISO releases. Remember you are already using software that won't be included in Debian Stable for quite some time. Packaging utilities like the Synaptic Package Manager should be primarily used to keep inventory of the installed software and to add or remove applications. Updating should be a secondary consideration, and done with great caution. Don't forget AV Linux also contains a large amount of Development libraries to assist users in compiling their own updates if they are comfortable doing so.

Updates/Upgrades in anything other than Debian Stable are a risky proposition at best so use the following steps to minimize the risk:

DISCLAIMER: The following suggestions are in regard to using AV Linux, they are usually not necessary for "Stable" Distributions

1. I very strongly suggest AV Linux users do not use their home folder for storing important data. The user's home is great for config files, building and compiling software or and as a temporary resting spot for downloads and other files. Keep important data and media on a separate drive partition that way if you have to re-install AV Linux because of a bad update or system breakage your projects and hours of hard work are all safe on a partition that will not be involved or targeted by the Installer. For the best performance with Audio and Video applications a separate physical drive is highly recommended so your primary HDD doesn't have to juggle running the software and managing those large files at the same time. The Remastersys Backup utility will not work if the Backup ISO is larger than 4gig so it is a good policy to keep your Home folder lean and clean for this reason anyway.

2. "If it ain't broke don't fix it!" With update notifiers blinking away on the panels and desktops of most distributions people seem to feel pressured to update their system daily...If it's working well and you are content with it's performance and security there is absolutely NO "need" to update. Incremental updates of software quite often do not mean anything that the end user will notice, sometimes there are significant improvements and sometimes there have only been minor changes like an edited translation file. Quite often there are new bugs and compatibility issues.

3. Update only what is needed. For example if you want the latest version of Brasero disc burning software then you don't need to update libc6, take time to carefully look at the update list and if you don't need it or aren't sure what it is don't update it.

4. Back up a working system regularly. Remastersys Backup (in backup mode) is right there ready to backup your system complete with your home settings included. Spending a few minutes regularly to create a Backup ISO can have you literally "back up" and running in minutes. Always store your backups on a separate partition or an external drive like you would any other important data. This will take you far less time than troubleshooting a broken system!

5. The 'Synaptic Package Manager' is the recommended way to add and remove software in AV Linux, to prevent accidental upgrades/updates you can "pin" packages, to do this in Synaptic highlight the package you want held and from the top menu select "Package" and tick off "Lock Version". This way an update won't overwrite a package you want held. **WARNING** Pinned packages WILL be updated if you use "apt-get" from the terminal.