Debian 6.0 Squeeze released

http://www.debian.org/News/2011/20110205a

 

Downloading now, thanks!

 

Please note that to upgrade you don't need to burn CD's and all that.
I assume you don't have Debian installed, but i'm just making it clear.

Change the /etc/apt/sources.list file to reflect the new name (squeeze instead of lenny), or if you're using stable as the name, you just:
apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade
You can also use Synaptic (a graphical package management tool) for this.

If you don't like surprises, you should perhaps use the release name (etch, lenny, squeeze) in order to update from release to release at your own pace.

 

It appears there's 8 dvds that need to be downloaded. That's a bit much, don't you think? Gee, and I thought Scientific Linux 6 was massive.

Later....

 

You only need the first cd.

 

To install Debian, you could go with the netinstall, and that will only download what you need.

In other words, 8 DVD's are AVAILABLE, but not all are required.

 

Yep, that's what I do. Works out great. And the netinstall CD is a very small download...

 

alert: Slightly OT and rant ahead

I hate change.
The old website was perfectly fine, dated looking maybe but don't mess with it if it's working. The new one isn't nearly as compact, they really should've kept the sidebar and some colors to structure the information.
Same with fedoraproject.org

Whatever happened to if it ain't broken...?

What have we come to? Next openbsd.org gets a new revamp with the 5.0 release or what??



about installation media size:
is 56 KB still too large for you?

 

Well, I downloaded the Debian 6.0 DVD 32bit version. I chose the graphical install method. This reminded me of an Ubuntu Alternate CD to a degree. I tried to install it on my HP Pavilion laptop, but since it didn't have a driver for my Intel 5100 wireless card the best it could do was install a base system then exit for a reboot. You'd think with 4.4+ gigs of data on this DVD they could have made room for my wireless card. Practically every distro I've tried for the past good while has had it. This sucks. Think I'll put this disc in my "probably will never use again" stack of CDs and DVDs spindle. Live and learn, I guess. Another highly over-rated experience.

Later...

 

I did the ranting but what you are doing here is demonstrating how you have no idea what the whole Debian project is about

First, the Ubuntu Alternate CD. Guess what, Ubuntu stole it from Debian! (which of course is nothing bad, it's encouraged, that's how GPL works)

The wireless driver isn't included on the DVD because it's non-free.
http://www.debian.org/intro/free
Other distros aren't that strict, while they can't bundle say flash and sun-java they come with closed source binary drivers (also called blobs). Debian has its own non-free repo, but for that you need an internet connection.
http://wiki.debian.org/iwlagn

Install over ethernet or download the software with apt-offline on another computer:
http://www.debian-administration.org/article/Offline_Package_Management_for_APT

According to your signature you use Ubuntu, don't bite the hand that feeds you...

 

Thank you very much, Katio!

I did a simple search in Google for intel 5100 wireless and got answers right there. If you want to give Debian a try, why not download CD #1? Which takes much less bandwidth than a DVD.
I like to feel good about fixing these little problems and gain understanding, which I add to my 'useful skills spindle'...

By the way, with that DVD you are able to install a complete desktop environment without internet connection.

 

There are nicer looking wikis but it's all here
http://wiki.debian.org/WiFi

 

And what you are doing is assuming I didn't already know that. Sometimes I notice you read a statement by someone then make some belittling assumptions then jump in with both feet. It makes you come across as a ~ Snipped as per TOS ~ at times.

Doh! Do you think?! This is an example of you jumping the gun. In "This reminded me of an Ubuntu Alternate CD to a degree", I was just making a statement...not accusing Debian of grand-theft-auto. And I'm well aware that Ubuntu sprang from the loins of Debian. Christ. Your attitude sometimes gets a little old.

This I didn't know. It had always just worked previously.

Thanks for the links but I'm quite capable of Google-ing for the driver (as I have done many times in the past) should I wish.

What I didn't mention in my previous post was after the base install I rebooted to prompt...switched to the install DVD...did an apt-get install gnome...then rebooted to login and finally Desktop. What irks me is why didn't they allow me to continue the Gnome install without an internet connection? Everything that was needed (except for the wireless driver) was already on the disc? Ubuntu allows for it. I don't follow their logic...if there is one.

Another thing, after getting to Desktop then making my way to synaptic to do my usual deleting applications I'll never use I found removing certain ones (like epiphany) required removing Gnome. Ubuntu use to be the same way...many years ago. When I saw that behavior I quickly threw in the towel and CloneZilla-ed my way back to Ubuntu.

Yes, I use Ubuntu, and have been doing so for the past 5+ years. In my opinion Debian's approach to an install is inferior to that of Ubuntu. Debian may the parent but it appears they have something to learn from the child.

BTW, I have used Debian CDs in the past and have done a netinstall. Not my favorite way of doing things. Again, another highly over-rated experience.

Later...

 

It should be possible to do that, at some point in the process the installer asks you if you like to add mirrors to the source list in order to receive updates, when you select 'yes' this installation procedure requires an internet connection and if that fails it lets you continue in a less automated fashion.
If you select 'no' at the installer's prompt for mirrors, it will continue without connection required.

Yes, installing Debian is different from live CD's. From my experience in life I have learned that each solution and each situation has advantages and disadvantages.
Debian has rolling updates, it has many users who never needed to reinstall after a new release. Upgrading from Debian 5.08 to Debian 6.0 doesn't need a download of iso's and reinstall. This is one of the charms of Debian.

If you are disappointed after a 4+ GB download, don't take it out here. The installation procedure is well documented and also the differences between netinstall, CD iso and DVD iso is made quite clear on the website.

Also the well respected forum member Mrkvonic wrote about Debian before: http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/debian.html

 

I notice that too. No, really and thanks for telling me.
But that's a general problem with online or even just written discussions. Someone makes a statement and you talk back without fully knowing the intentions and thought process behind it. There are these short snippets of text that don't provide a great deal of context as we don't know each other other then through more of these short postings.

From the short context of your post I conclude that the comment about Ubuntu Alternate has something to do with your low opinion of Debian and I make an educated guess about the thought process behind.

I see a post mentioning how Debian doesn't ship with wireless drivers. My conclusion is, this guy can't be familiar with GNU/GPL/FSF or Debian, otherwise he would have mentioned that. A rant about non-free software not being included in a GNU/Linux distro that actually cares about free as in freedom was a clear indicator of lack of knowledge or ignorance. That's why I responded in a bit of a heated manner.
Actually what really bugged me and made me reply like that was the "Another highly over-rated experience." You make it sound like that's an objective fact and not "I didn't like the experience".

I assumed you didn't know why the wireless driver wasn't included. You complain about me doing assumptions all the time. But then you say yourself that you "didn't know".

See, that's why I'm quick with my assumptions: Generally I'm right. If not, the next post will clear that up anyway. Assuming is a way of shortcutting the discussion. Otherwise I always needed to start with just questions, wait for the poster to come back online again and reply (if they even bother) and only then I can tell "the world" (because this is a public discussion, I'm not only replying to you but to everyone who reads your statement) my own _opinion_

QFT
I prefer Ubuntu myself but in the alternate (Debian) flavour.
Debian is more of a server distro, Ubuntu server doesn't have a live cd either...

 

If you choose base install, no Desktop is installed. If you choose DE, it will be installed. If it's on the CD, it's installed, if not, you need a connection.
You can put the firmware package on a USB like the installer asks, if you want to connect via WIFI in the installer, else, you need a cable.

You'd need to mark Gnome as something you want, with apt-get install.
I have epiphany installed, which i like very much, and no Gnome. Perhaps the reverse is not true, and Gnome depends on Epiphany? Idk.

Like what, how to include a FreeBSD kernel - with most packages available for Linux also available for kfreebsd - support for nine architectures, 29000 (?) packages and make a graphical installer for all this? And support it?

I don't think anyone over-rated Debian's installer. And it's not a usual experience either, installing Debian. One would do it once per computer.
Why do you have to use expressions like "highly over-rated experience", to make someone angry?
When i don't understand something, i usually ask someone for help.. Specially when you're talking about one of 2 oldest distro's around.
Maybe there's something about them hey? wink wink

But at least now you can appreciate the difference between this installer and the rest.

Cheers

 

At each stage during the install there was a "Go Back" button. At the stage you mentioned I said no since previous to that stage the process wanted to setup an internet connection and at which time it informed me that the disc did not contain a driver for my wireless card. It kept kicking me back to setting up an internet connection. By clicking on the "Go Back" button it took me to a long list of steps of procedures it planned on going through. I clicked on the procedure just past "Set up internet connection" it would kick me back to setting up an internet connection, etc., etc.. Only after clicking on install grub did it proceed. I spent quite a bit of time in that section trying to get it to continue the install.

I have used the Ubuntu Alternate CDs to perform installs so the concept is not foreign to me. If you recall, the only way you could install Ubuntu in the "old days" (2005-2006) would be viewed as the Alternate method today.

That quote seems a bit unfair. I was expressing an opinion of my experience, and I wasn't taking it out on anyone. I didn't get heated or go off on to some long rant. If you are referring to my last post, well, I'll let my statements speak for themselves.

I haven't read the Debian installation documentation, but, like I stated, I have tried all three methods at some point in time.

 

I didn't choose base install. Base install was the first thing it installed after I chose graphical install. I don't recall seeing USB anything during the initial install.

Obviously.

I assume you're trying to use sarcasm here. I don't deny they have an extensive library of packages and support each architechture well. What made you think that I didn't?

I just expected a better experience from the install than the one I received. Debian is, after all, the father/mother of a distro that I cherish very much...Ubuntu. I was just slightly ~ Snipped as per TOS ~ about all the trouble I went through.

You got me there and I agree. Some are good. Some are great. Some are not so great...Debian being the latter...which sort of rhymes with...

Later....

 

I think that with your first post in this thread, you made a personal statement.
You didn't ask for suggestions, but we gave you a few anyway.
Anything else that follows is colored and flavored by your tone in the quoted post.

I agree that the installation procedure is unforgiving, once you take a wrong turn, it's hard to correct it.
When that happens to me, I start over and see how I can improve my experience, or obtain some helpful information.
I have learned a lot from my own mistakes, they can be frustrating and enriching at the same time.

I think that it's sad that a thread for Debian enthusiasts turned this way, and even if you succeed with the installation, you find that Debian is less finely configured compared to other distro's. Some people heat a frozen meal in the microwave, others like to start from scratch with fresh ingredients.

Now, let's enjoy the new Debian Squeeze Release, I'm in the process of installing a Debian based music server with Squeezebox Server.
It will act like a jukebox with 600+ CD's.

 

Concerning my first post...I went to a Debian download site shortly after seeing that it was released and saw the DVD downloads labeled 1 through 8. I concluded, because of the numbering, that all 8 were needed. That's what prompted my post. I was informed later in this thread that only the first was necessary (plus some surfing which assured me that this was correct) so I downloaded DVD-1. My tone was more that of surprise than anything else. To read more into it than that is misconstruing what I intended.

Also, I had experienced a Debian netinstall before so that was never really an option even though it was suggested.

But, I agree, let's turn this thread back over to the Debian enthusiasts to enjoy once again. And, sorry, for any distraction I might have caused.

Have a nice day. .

Later...

 

I installed Debian Squeeze with the netinstaller. Worked perfectly for me! I just let it download and install the 1117 files while I was at work. When I got home I was pretty much ready. I booted up and then found flashplugin-nonfree on the Debian site and installed it so I could watch YouTube videos.

 

Fresh install of squeeze last night. Everything is working like a charm.
I always use the business card image and deselect the graphical desktop option at the softwate selection stage. This gives me a command prompt after reboot where I can "apt-get install xorg xfce4 gdm" After 5 minutes of downloading and installing I have my shiney new minimal desktop base in which to install my favourite apps. Just beautiful.

 

never tried Debian so far look very interesting and rock solid distro i download it soon

 

I tried this distro briefly earlier today. It wouldn't format my SSD parts to ext4, so I went with ext3 no problems. It's obviously a spartan-like, stoic distro, no fancy bells or whistles, but I really liked the install procedure. It seems stable with nice performance on my '06 gaming rig. I'm forced to use the terminal more so with it, which I like, as I'm gradually realising the value of mastering at least basic terminal commands. Overall quite impressed with what I've seen of Debian 6.0.0.

 

Sorry, but I want to say more about Debian; this is an excellent distro, imo, as an intermediate learning step for thse who have a “beginners” comfort level with an easier distro like Ubuntu, Mepis or mint, having mastered some basic terminal commands like fdisk –I, apt-get, mount/umount, and perhaps a few others, and can generally navigate their way around Linux without too much difficulty. I’ve done some further testing in VMWare, although too bad I can completely install VMWare tools (can’t find gcc binary, or something to that effect). I really like the installation process, because it gets the user involved in making a number of decisions, such as partitioning, adding supplemementary packages, and repositories.

I later incorrectly added a repository to Synaptic, causing it to crash every time I tried to open it, so I remembered having to edit the sources.list using Nano from terminal and was able to fix it. This is satisfying because it forced me to dig a little deeper than usual to resolve an issue, and helps me improve my terminal-using skills.

Yeah, nice learning distro imo for those who want a little less hand-holding but don’t want the bigger challenge that a distro like Arch, for example imposes