I need LMDE repositories / software-sources explained!
Posted: Thu Jul 25, 2013 4:51 pm
Hello everyone,
I'm not new to Linux (been using it for over 10 years now), Ubuntu nor Debian (amongst other distros), but I am new to Mint and started out with LMDE.
I understand Debian's stable, testing and unstable releases.
But I'm having a bit of trouble understanding exactly what the Software Sources application's releases stand for, as well as how does the "Distribution" tab in Synaptic's Preferences relate (or not) to the former.
So, if there's a Mint equivalent to Debian's http://www.debian.org/releases/ , please do share the link! (I couldn't find such a clear page for Mint)
If there's no such page, could you please confirm, correct and complete what I think I understood:
Note: I have still made no changes to any software sources.
Software Sources -> Linux Mint Software (tab)
Main packages (main): Mint-specific packages (original software or Debian-based customised to the Mint project)?
Upstream packages (upstream): Remaining packages from Debian Testing (up to the latest Mint "snapshot" of them, currently UP6)?
Imported packages (import): Erm... I'm lost. Imported from where?
Backported packages (backport): Backported from Debian Unstable (sid)? Or is there such a thing as LMDE Unstable?
Unstable packages (romeo): Lost again - I blame "romeo"!
Source code: For you to build the software from the sources (i.e. enable the "deb-src" entries), got it!
Synaptic Preferences -> Distribution (tab)
Well, the first option here is to "Always prefer the highest version" and I assume that, in this case, it all comes down to what repositories you enabled on the Software Sources.
Now the last option is a dropbox with the following options:
"stable"
"testing"
"debian"
This makes me thing there is a LMDE stable release (i.e. currently UP6) and a "testing" one (possibly composed of packages the LMDE team are testing?). Then there would be the "debian" release, which would simply ignore any Mint repositories and basically be a Debian install (with initial Mint software and configurations).
Then again, it could be that one might choose to have a LMDE based on Debian Stable (i.e. Wheezy) instead of Testing (Jessie)... and I'd be lost at what the "debian" option means in there...
But actually, on this "Distribution" tab, I'm guessing it's rather some residual artifact from Synaptic's original design. Or maybe it's just the distributions it automatically picks up from the Software Sources list...?
Well, as you can see, I'm rather confused about it all, and I could not find an easy explanation on these Software Sources.
Any thoughts are welcome! Thanks.
I'm not new to Linux (been using it for over 10 years now), Ubuntu nor Debian (amongst other distros), but I am new to Mint and started out with LMDE.
I understand Debian's stable, testing and unstable releases.
But I'm having a bit of trouble understanding exactly what the Software Sources application's releases stand for, as well as how does the "Distribution" tab in Synaptic's Preferences relate (or not) to the former.
So, if there's a Mint equivalent to Debian's http://www.debian.org/releases/ , please do share the link! (I couldn't find such a clear page for Mint)
If there's no such page, could you please confirm, correct and complete what I think I understood:
Note: I have still made no changes to any software sources.
Software Sources -> Linux Mint Software (tab)
Main packages (main): Mint-specific packages (original software or Debian-based customised to the Mint project)?
Upstream packages (upstream): Remaining packages from Debian Testing (up to the latest Mint "snapshot" of them, currently UP6)?
Imported packages (import): Erm... I'm lost. Imported from where?
Backported packages (backport): Backported from Debian Unstable (sid)? Or is there such a thing as LMDE Unstable?
Unstable packages (romeo): Lost again - I blame "romeo"!
Source code: For you to build the software from the sources (i.e. enable the "deb-src" entries), got it!
Synaptic Preferences -> Distribution (tab)
Well, the first option here is to "Always prefer the highest version" and I assume that, in this case, it all comes down to what repositories you enabled on the Software Sources.
Now the last option is a dropbox with the following options:
"stable"
"testing"
"debian"
This makes me thing there is a LMDE stable release (i.e. currently UP6) and a "testing" one (possibly composed of packages the LMDE team are testing?). Then there would be the "debian" release, which would simply ignore any Mint repositories and basically be a Debian install (with initial Mint software and configurations).
Then again, it could be that one might choose to have a LMDE based on Debian Stable (i.e. Wheezy) instead of Testing (Jessie)... and I'd be lost at what the "debian" option means in there...
But actually, on this "Distribution" tab, I'm guessing it's rather some residual artifact from Synaptic's original design. Or maybe it's just the distributions it automatically picks up from the Software Sources list...?
Well, as you can see, I'm rather confused about it all, and I could not find an easy explanation on these Software Sources.
Any thoughts are welcome! Thanks.