Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue
 

On 20120702_144837, Camaleón wrote:
> On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:15:42 +0200, Mark Panen wrote:
>
> > Is it safe to have backports enabled on a stable Squeeze 6.05 system?
>
> I'd say now is even safer than before because the backported packages are
> integrated within the official repositories which should lead to less
> packages/libraries collisions.
>
> Just use it with caution and consider a correct pinning if you are
> planing of making an intensive use of them.
>
> Greetings,
>
> --
> Camaleón
>
>

This comment is addressed to this thread because it is a question that
has puzzled me about squeeze-backports. I know that one must do a special
thing, namely -t option in order to actually download and install a
backported package, but how does one know of the existance of a backported
package. For packages in the general main/squeeze grouping, I have browsed
the interactive user interface of Aptitude. Do the backports show up there
if I add the line to my sources.list? If no, where do I browse? If yes,
how do I know that they are somehow special, and that I need to do more
than typing a simple + to select them?

The answer may be obvious and innately intuitive, but I have found from
experience, intuitive is something that I was told long ago and not
remembered until presented with an actual example. I don't think I have
been told how to intuit the answers here.

--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net


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Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue
 

On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:09:49 -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:

> On 20120702_144837, Camaleón wrote:
>> On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:15:42 +0200, Mark Panen wrote:
>>
>> > Is it safe to have backports enabled on a stable Squeeze 6.05 system?
>>
>> I'd say now is even safer than before because the backported packages
>> are integrated within the official repositories which should lead to
>> less packages/libraries collisions.
>>
>> Just use it with caution and consider a correct pinning if you are
>> planing of making an intensive use of them.

> This comment is addressed to this thread because it is a question that
> has puzzled me about squeeze-backports. I know that one must do a
> special thing, namely -t option in order to actually download and
> install a backported package,

For installing single packages, yes, "-t" should be enough. Otherwise,
pinning (prioritize backports over the standard repositories) should be
more convenient.

> but how does one know of the existance of a backported package.

As usual, you go to the online search and type the name of the package.
If there's a backport counterpart it will listed there.

You can also query from here:

http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/

> For packages in the general main/squeeze grouping, I have browsed the
> interactive user interface of Aptitude. Do the backports show up there
> if I add the line to my sources.list? If no, where do I browse? If yes,
> how do I know that they are somehow special, and that I need to do more
> than typing a simple + to select them?

(...)

I don't use the backport repositories but I guess yes, if you have it
listed in your "sources.list" the queries (e.g., apt-search) should also
provide the versions of the packages available in the backports.

Anyway, I prefer to use the web search instead, I feel more confortable
with the online interface where I can get extra information for the
packages.

Greetings,

--
Camaleón


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Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue
 

On Mon, Jul 02, 2012 at 05:34:19PM +0000, Camaleón wrote:
> On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:09:49 -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:
> > but how does one know of the existance of a backported package.
>
> As usual, you go to the online search and type the name of the package.
> If there's a backport counterpart it will listed there.
>
> You can also query from here:
>
> http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/

Are you supposed to do this daily, or what?

He means it being a push operation not a pull operation. No doubt he
already knows about querying for himself at
http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/

--
"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people
who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the
oppressing." --- Malcolm X


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Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue
 

On Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:38:02 +1200, Chris Bannister wrote:

> On Mon, Jul 02, 2012 at 05:34:19PM +0000, Camaleón wrote:
>> On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:09:49 -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:
>> > but how does one know of the existance of a backported package.
>>
>> As usual, you go to the online search and type the name of the package.
>> If there's a backport counterpart it will listed there.
>>
>> You can also query from here:
>>
>> http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/
>
> Are you supposed to do this daily, or what?

To do what? Search for a package in the backports?

That would depend on your needings, I personally do a few software
installs in my systems so yes, when I need to search for a package I use
the online interface.

> He means it being a push operation not a pull operation. No doubt he
> already knows about querying for himself at
> http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/

What do you suggest then?

Greetings,

--
Camaleón


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Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue
 

On 20120703_103802, Chris Bannister wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 02, 2012 at 05:34:19PM +0000, Camaleón wrote:
> > On Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:09:49 -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:
> > > but how does one know of the existance of a backported package.
> >
> > As usual, you go to the online search and type the name of the package.
> > If there's a backport counterpart it will listed there.
> >
> > You can also query from here:
> >
> > http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/
>
> Are you supposed to do this daily, or what?
>
> He means it being a push operation not a pull operation. No doubt he
> already knows about querying for himself at
> http://backports-master.debian.org/Packages/
>

Let me join in the discussion of what I intended by my badly
worded request:

1. I need a way of learning the name of the package that might help
with some problem, a place on the web where I can pick up search terms
on a topic with which I am not familiar. At the beginning of my
search, I simply don't know what to type in the search box. In the
particular case of backports of packages that I am already using
and are serving me well enough as is, but might have a backport that
is actually much better, how do I discover that backport? But more
likely situation is that I have tried and found wanting the package
in the original release, but would revisit the issue if I knew their
was a backport. Tracking backports of software that I am somehow
able to live without is not something to which I can allot much time.
But I might be missing out on some really neat stuff.

2. If I do decide to put squeeze-backports in my sources.list, will
the backported packages be displayed in the interactive browser?

3. If they are displayed in interactive mode, will I be able to tell
that they are backports? (so that I can exercise that extra caution
that has been recommended in this thread)

These are questions that are quite low priority because I am generally
quite satisfied with the pace of development in Debian. If the
answers indicate that using backports is not for me, I'll not
complain.

Thanks :-)
--
Paul E Condon
pecondon@mesanetworks.net


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Backports on Squeeze OT question/issue
 

On Tue, Jul 03, 2012 at 12:17:39PM -0600, Paul E Condon wrote:

.......snip......
>
> Let me join in the discussion of what I intended by my badly
> worded request:
>
> 1. I need a way of learning the name of the package that might help
> with some problem, a place on the web where I can pick up search terms
> on a topic with which I am not familiar. At the beginning of my
> search, I simply don't know what to type in the search box. In the
> particular case of backports of packages that I am already using
> and are serving me well enough as is, but might have a backport that
> is actually much better, how do I discover that backport? But more
> likely situation is that I have tried and found wanting the package
> in the original release, but would revisit the issue if I knew their
> was a backport. Tracking backports of software that I am somehow
> able to live without is not something to which I can allot much time.
> But I might be missing out on some really neat stuff.
>
> 2. If I do decide to put squeeze-backports in my sources.list, will
> the backported packages be displayed in the interactive browser?
>
> 3. If they are displayed in interactive mode, will I be able to tell
> that they are backports? (so that I can exercise that extra caution
> that has been recommended in this thread)
>
> These are questions that are quite low priority because I am generally
> quite satisfied with the pace of development in Debian. If the
> answers indicate that using backports is not for me, I'll not
> complain.

As you may or may not have been previously advised,
http://packages.debian.org/squeeze-backports/

--
Bob Holtzman
If you think you're getting free lunch,
check the price of the beer.
Key ID: 8D549279