.. This document is © Martin F. Krafft It is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Licence 2.5 ========================================================================== Debian 4.0 "etch" ========================================================================== Current and future issues -------------------------------------------------------------------------- .. |event| replace:: Skynet.ie guest talk, University of Limerick, Ireland .. |talkdate| replace:: 19 August 2006 .. |author| replace:: Martin F. Krafft .. |authoremail| replace:: madduck@debian.org .. |footer| replace:: |event| |bull| |talkdate| .. container:: author |author| <|authoremail|> * Developer with the `Debian`_, `Zope`_, and `Plone`_ projects * Author of the book `The Debian System — Concepts and Techniques`_ * `Ph.D. student`_, `Lero`_, `CSIS`_, `University of Limerick`_, Ireland .. _Debian: http://debian.org/ .. _Zope: http://zope.org/ .. _Plone: http:/plone.org/ .. _Ph.D. student: http://martin-krafft.net/phd/ .. _Lero: http://lero.ie/ .. _CSIS: http://www.csis.ul.ie/ .. _University of Limerick: http://ul.ie/ .. _The Debian System — Concepts and Techniques: http://debiansystem.info/ .. container:: event |event| |talkdate| My involvement in Debian ======================== * Strong interest in workflow issues * Strong interest in security issues * PR, and proxy between industry and Debian * Mentor * Bug reporter #2 * General troublemaker Overview ======== * A brief introduction to Debian * Status of Debian 4.0 "etch" * A bit on current Debian * Relationship with Ubuntu What is Debian? =============== * An open-source project * with a unique and original philosophy * represented and enacted by a huge community * producing a (set of) operating system(s) The Debian philosophy ===================== Produce a free operating system of high quality with flexibility in mind, using an open development model inspired by Linux. * 100% free * Universal and open * High-quality integration, policy-based * Flexibility and security * The admin stays in control The Debian community ==================== * Just under 1'100 developers (~50% active), globally spaced .. container:: center .. image:: developers-map.jpg (source: http://www.debian.org/devel/developers.loc) * An estimated 2'000 contributors Traits of the community ======================= * Many developers are high-profile, experienced administrators * Very helpful and knowledgeable, if approached right * Often considered arrogant and elitist * Rough, cowboy-ish, but the Debian Women project had very good influence * Meritocratic * High trust level between developers * Frequent personal meetings between developers The Debian project ================== * Among the largest open-source projects * Independent, volunteer-driven * Daily business mainly on over 500 mailing lists and IRC * One yearly conference (`Debconf `_) and several mini conferences * Booth presence on all major computer-related fairs and conferences * SPI: US-based legal chaperone and assets management, no decision powers The Debian operating system(s) ============================== * Flagship: Debian GNU/Linux * Linux kernel * GNU userland applications * Debian system administration, helpers, concepts, integration * Also available, though less popular/developed * Debian GNU/Hurd * Debian GNU/NetBSD * Debian GNU/kFreeBSD Debian GNU/Linux ================ * Support for 12 hardware architectures: |nl| ``i386``, ``amd64``, ``sparc``, ``alpha``, ``powerpc``, ``ia64``, ``arm``, ``mips/+el``, ``m68k``, ``s390``, ``hppa`` |nl| (more than any other operating system) * 10'000 software packages |nl| (source packages, 19'000 binary packages) * More than 100 derivative distributions |nl| (e.g. Knoppix, Ubuntu, Linspire, Kanotix, MEPIS, Libranet, |hellip|) APT + dpkg ========== * The "Advanced Package Tool": * Automatic package acquisition * Automatic dependency handling * Package integrity verification * ``dpkg``, the Debian package manager: * Robust * Strictly enacts the Debian policy * Configuration files * Dependencies and conflicts * File ownership Our users ========= Widely used, for example by * the administration of the cities of Munich, Germany, and Vienna, Austria * the Ministry of Public Administration, Spain * several large universities, including the University of Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. * HP and IBM both offer Debian support (IBM/Lenovo inofficially) Gadgets ======= * Debian powers numerous embedded devices: routers, firewalls * Debian is used on devices of the latest handheld trend: * Nokia 770 .. container:: center .. image:: nokia-770.png * ROAD S101 .. container:: center .. image:: road-s101.png Overview ======== * A brief introduction to Debian .. class:: current * Status of Debian 4.0 "etch" .. * A bit on current Debian * Relationship with Ubuntu Debian releases =============== * Debian "stable" is known to be rock-solid and outdated: .. container:: center .. image:: timeline.png .. image:: sarge.png :class: floatright * Current release: Debian 3.1r2 "sarge" |nl| released 6 June 2005, revised 19 April 2006 * Named after toy story characters .. image:: etch.png :class: floatleft * Planned for 4 December 2006: Debian 4.0 "etch" Debian "etch" release goals =========================== * GCC 4.1 transition * new Python framework * LSB 3.1 compatibility * Improved installer * graphical interface * support for encrypted partitions * Kernel 2.6.17 or even 2.6.18 * Pet goals: * SELinux support * pervasive IPv6 support * pervasive LFS (large files) support Debian stable ============= * Rock solid .. "Look, this is Debian. They don't release things until you have to fire rockets at the thing to stop it from working." (Slashdot quote) * Outdated .. "Debian releases are out of date the minute they are published" (common prejudice) Release process =============== * ``unstable`` - ``testing`` - ``stable`` * Current ``stable``: ``sarge``, current ``testing``: ``etch``, ``unstable``: ``sid`` * Next ``stable``: ``etch``, next ``testing``: ``etch+1``, ``unstable``: ``sid`` * Long freeze process due to complexity * Five categories: essential, required, standard, optional, extra * Frozen one after the other, then stabilisation period The package cycle ================= .. container:: center .. image:: package-cycle.png RC bugs ======= * Release-critical bugs (RC bugs) prevent a package from entering stable * *This is what makes Debian be Debian* * Packages with RC bugs are either fixed or removed * Exceptions are possible on a case-by-case basis (``etch-ignore``) Current status ============== .. container:: center .. image:: rc-bugs.png From: http://bugs.debian.org/release-critical/ (Not entirely accurate because does not respect version tracking) Current schedule ================ * We are a bit behind schedule * Base system was frozen on time * General freeze planned for 18 October 2006 * Several `bug squashing parties `_ coming up: * Always on IRC: ``#debian-bugs`` * 8-10 September: Zurich, Vienna * 11-13 October: Zurich, Dijon * Target release date still unchanged: 4 December 2006 Current problems ================ * Python transition * AMD64 not 100% integrated yet * DFSG vs. GFDL * Non-free firmware * Secure APT What can you do to help? ======================== Participate in bug squashing parties! |nl| (or just squash bugs whenever you can) * Many bugs are trivial to resolve but need time * Live assistance available via IRC and on mailing lists: * ``#debian-bugs`` on ``irc.debian.org`` * ``debian-devel@lists.debian.org`` * http://wiki.debian.org/BSPMarathon Overview ======== * A brief introduction to Debian * Status of Debian 4.0 "etch" .. class:: current * A bit on current Debian * Relationship with Ubuntu Debian's strategy ================= **Disclaimer:** these are not an official statements! * Release cycle length, "etch+1" * Architecture support, universality * Quality assurance Open issues =========== * Licencing wars: GFDL, GPLv3, CC * Packages built on untrusted machines * Bottlenecks in the infrastructure and delays * Package maintenance, patch tracking, derivatives * Size of the developer base Overview ======== * A brief introduction to Debian * Status of Debian 4.0 "etch" * A bit on current Debian .. class:: current * Relationship with Ubuntu Ubuntu releases =============== .. image:: ubuntu-releases.png :class: floatleft * Ubuntu snapshots Debian ``unstable`` * Possible synchronisation at a later point in time * A new release is the merge of Ubuntu's previous changes into a new snapshot (graphic by `Scott James Remnant `_) Ubuntu vs. Debian on the desktop ================================ * Ubuntu is synchronised with Gnome, cutting edge applications * Debian ``unstable``/``testing`` usually a little behind, but caught up or even overtook by the time Ubuntu is released. * A `recent study `__ found Debian to be more up to date (but the study is debated). * More user-friendly configuration tools, better desktop integration * Limited to Gnome, plus separate Kubuntu and Xubuntu efforts * Ubuntu ``core`` is of high quality, ``universe`` varies greatly Ubuntu vs. Debian on the server =============================== * Ubuntu server provides "wizards" and allegedly long-time support * New product, remains to be seen * Debian "stable" is stable: * functional stability: feature set of individual packages * run-time stability: software has been well tested * archive stability: no dependency changes * Administrators do not *want* to upgrade ("never touch a running system") * Long-time ``oldstable`` support, extendable (c.f. "potato") Relationship with Ubuntu ======================== * Divergance * Gripes from the side of Debian: jealousy, visibility, giving back * Advantages, benefits: greatly facilitated transitions, complex packages * Effect of Ubuntu on * core packages, transitions * release cycle length * user base * developer base * Existing integration efforts: * Utnubu * DCT My Ph.D. research ================= Method diffusion in large open source projects * Debian processes somewhat antiquated, compare with the agility of e.g. Plone * Volunteers don't like to be told what to do * Methods exist to improve asynchronous global collaboration * How do you make sure people adopt these? Finalement |hellip| =================== Thank you for your attention! .. container:: author |author| <|authoremail|> * http://people.debian.org/~madduck/ * http://martin-krafft.net/phd/ .. include:: licence.rst .. include:: common.inc .. footer:: |footer|