Why I should be running Debian unstable
The author considers upgrading from Debian stable to unstable for access to new packages and features, noting outdated tools in stable and inviting suggestions for additional useful tools.
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The author discusses the benefits of running Debian unstable, expressing a sense of missing out on new packages and features that are not available in the stable version. They acknowledge the common perception that Debian is outdated but argue that stability can be advantageous. The author lists several new packages available in unstable that they find interesting, such as codesearch, dasel, and gtklock, as well as some backports they currently use, including markdownlint and poweralertd. They also mention packages that are outdated in the stable version, like firmware-iwlwifi and yt-dlp, which could benefit from updates. The author reflects on their experience with Debian testing and considers upgrading to unstable for better access to new tools and features, especially as a Debian developer. They conclude by inviting suggestions for additional tools they might be missing.
- The author feels limited by using Debian stable and is considering upgrading to unstable.
- New packages in Debian unstable offer interesting features that are not available in stable.
- The author uses several backports and finds some packages in stable to be outdated.
- They emphasize the importance of testing new releases as a Debian developer.
- The author invites feedback on additional tools that could enhance their experience.
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6 commentsThere are some periodic times when dependencies aren't satisfiable, but usually <1 wk. Aside from not being able to upgrade a package once or twice a year, I haven't seen any downside.
It's great having the larger selection of packages available & I am glad to get latest greatest versions of things. I don't know why I spent time on "stable"... I thought I needed it, that life would be chaotic otherwise. And sometimes I'd have to go pin packages I needed at more reasonable versions in. But eventually i switched to testing then unstable, & it's been great.
Another of the things I appreciate about Debian is that they've worked out a system that can accommodate both people like the author and people like me.
I maintain dasel on Debian, and It's such a nice tool! I don't use most of it's advanced capabilities, but being able to convert from/to any of those formats with a single tool is very useful.
perhaps a more reliable option is to manually install a known good version of the kernel and any essential drivers and run "testing" instead of "unstable"
debian is conservative and works well for many people, but the (albeit rare) bumpy bits are just as bad as anything else in the linux world
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