4 ms·

> If you want up to date software, you should just run Debian testing (or some other distribution/OS). Telling people to run a new OS in order to get an update

by IncRnd 8y ago

> If you want up to date software, you should just run Debian testing (or some other distribution/OS). Telling people to run a new OS in order to get an updated version of Wireshark is crazy. If people only want a single updated package, then it is perfectly fine to include the updated PPA.

kop316 8y ago
PPAs tend to be for Ubuntu only, and is not meant for other Debian-based distros. Ubuntu and other distros will be pegged to other libraries, and mixing libraries on an OS is not a good idea. If you really want the updated package, I would recommend compiling from source. EDIT: I should point out that have a valid point that if you want to run up to date software, Debian is probably not the Distro you want to use. Ubuntu is a Debian based Distro that tends to have more up to date software. However, I like using Debian as I rarely need the most up to date software, and I have never had an update go bad on Debian.
- IncRnd 8y ago
  Good points. Thank you. I totally get that a FrankenDebian type of system can result from mixing packages from outside of Debian with a base Debian system. What I really wanted to convey was that saying someone should run Debian unstable or some other OS in order to update a single package is not reasonable - that it is far more reasonable for a person to take point updates using a PPA in such a case.
  - kop316 8y ago
    I agree with that point. Debian has a repository known as backports (https://backports.debian.org/ https://backports.debian.org/). But they note that it is not as well tested as the stable repository, and it is on an as-is basis, so not all packages are in there. However, Debian Stable is not the distro you want to run if you want the latest packages. I think Ubuntu and Arch are two distros that do that more? I have not looked around for new distros in several years, Debian is my OS of choice.
    - IncRnd 8y ago
      I've used debian and arch (on different machines of course) for years. I like that debian never breaks. On the other hand, I like the rolling release model of arch. :)
      - kop316 8y ago
        I get that! I used to do the Debian testing "rolling" release and really liked it. Sometime I will try Arch.
xorcist 8y ago
That's generally not what Debian users do. You can "pin" only specific packages from Debian testing. It's not guaranteed to work, but for end user facing software that nothing else links to, like Wireshark, it's likely to be completely fine. But no guarantees. The search term is probably "apt pinning" but it's also in the Debian Wiki. If you find that you'd rather rebuild the latest source package, you can rebuild the latest source package (apt build-dep will even install the build environment for you) and all the Debian specific patches will be included.

by IncRnd 8y ago

kop316 8y ago

PPAs tend to be for Ubuntu only, and is not meant for other Debian-based distros. Ubuntu and other distros will be pegged to other libraries, and mixing libraries on an OS is not a good idea. If you really want the updated package, I would recommend compiling from source. EDIT: I should point out that have a valid point that if you want to run up to date software, Debian is probably not the Distro you want to use. Ubuntu is a Debian based Distro that tends to have more up to date software. However, I like using Debian as I rarely need the most up to date software, and I have never had an update go bad on Debian.

IncRnd 8y ago
Good points. Thank you. I totally get that a FrankenDebian type of system can result from mixing packages from outside of Debian with a base Debian system. What I really wanted to convey was that saying someone should run Debian unstable or some other OS in order to update a single package is not reasonable - that it is far more reasonable for a person to take point updates using a PPA in such a case.
- kop316 8y ago
  I agree with that point. Debian has a repository known as backports (https://backports.debian.org/ https://backports.debian.org/). But they note that it is not as well tested as the stable repository, and it is on an as-is basis, so not all packages are in there. However, Debian Stable is not the distro you want to run if you want the latest packages. I think Ubuntu and Arch are two distros that do that more? I have not looked around for new distros in several years, Debian is my OS of choice.
  - IncRnd 8y ago
    I've used debian and arch (on different machines of course) for years. I like that debian never breaks. On the other hand, I like the rolling release model of arch. :)
    - kop316 8y ago
      I get that! I used to do the Debian testing "rolling" release and really liked it. Sometime I will try Arch.

xorcist 8y ago

That's generally not what Debian users do. You can "pin" only specific packages from Debian testing. It's not guaranteed to work, but for end user facing software that nothing else links to, like Wireshark, it's likely to be completely fine. But no guarantees. The search term is probably "apt pinning" but it's also in the Debian Wiki. If you find that you'd rather rebuild the latest source package, you can rebuild the latest source package (apt build-dep will even install the build environment for you) and all the Debian specific patches will be included.