[ale] Distro Reply

[James Sumners]

An interview with the Debian project manager was posted on Newsforge
today (http://www.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=04/12/23/2023223). I am sitting
here reading through it and the following is spot what we are talking about:

NF: Will Debian Sarge be a good choice for desktop users?

MM: Linux in general and Debian have made lots of progress in the last few years
and they are to some extent certainly suitable for desktop use. I wouldn't
recommend Debian on the desktop for people who are new to Linux, but it's
perfectly suited for people who have some experience with Linux or have an admin
who takes care of their machine. The question, of course, is whether we will
release timely updates after Sarge is out.

The desktop is very important for us and we know that our current release cycle
is just too slow. We are currently discussing moving to time-based releases (the
model which, for example, GNOME follows and in which a release is made every n
months according to a very thorough and well-planned schedule). Obviously, the
big question is how often we should release, and here we have to take two
conflicting requirements into account. The server people don't want to upgrade
too often, while many (but certainly not all) desktop users want to see frequent
releases. At the moment, a 12- to 18-month cycle is in discussion. We are also
working on security support for our testing distribution, which will allow
people who want cutting-edge but tested software to use testing.

NF: What kernel will Sarge use by default? Will it be like Woody, with two
versions (2.4 and 2.6, in the case of Sarge) from which the user can choose?

MM: The default kernel depends on the architecture. While 2.6 is the default for
PowerPC, we have decided to stay with 2.4 for i386. However, you can easily
choose 2.6 by booting the linux26 option. Installations with both kernels are
well supported and tested.

NF: Why 2.4 for i386? Don't you think 2.6 is stable enough?

MM: 2.4 is much more widely tested and known to be stable. 2.6 is getting quite
reliable too but is still much more of a moving target. In any case, both 2.4
and 2.6 are officially supported and it's very easy to choose.

-- 
James Sumners
http://ug.dyndns.org/~jsumners/

"All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological
personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the
corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a
condition to which they are quickly addicted."

Missionaria Protectiva, Text QIV (decto)
CH:D 59