> There is a very good reason why you don't see new Debian releases very often.
Yes, and as someone involved in the Debian project since 1997, I think I have a good handle on them:
- It's free software, so there's not really any pressure to actually do anything.
- Unstable "works" well enough for a lot of people's desktops, so that takes even more pressure off.
- There a huge number of packages to try and stabilize. Ubuntu has done a good job of trying to pick a good subset and deal with that, rather than try and be everything to everyone.
- There aren't really any paid staff to sit around fixing the more onerous bugs, or do any of the unpleasant muckwork that paid people do.
That said, I've had both Ubuntu and Debian boxes that have been upgraded again and again over the years, and there just isn't much cruft at all. I had one machine in the late nineties that had its main disk swapped out 2 or 3 times, was transferred to a new case/MB once, and upgraded the distribution itself 2 or 3 times, and it worked just fine.
Yes, and as someone involved in the Debian project since 1997, I think I have a good handle on them:
- It's free software, so there's not really any pressure to actually do anything.
- Unstable "works" well enough for a lot of people's desktops, so that takes even more pressure off.
- There a huge number of packages to try and stabilize. Ubuntu has done a good job of trying to pick a good subset and deal with that, rather than try and be everything to everyone.
- There aren't really any paid staff to sit around fixing the more onerous bugs, or do any of the unpleasant muckwork that paid people do.
That said, I've had both Ubuntu and Debian boxes that have been upgraded again and again over the years, and there just isn't much cruft at all. I had one machine in the late nineties that had its main disk swapped out 2 or 3 times, was transferred to a new case/MB once, and upgraded the distribution itself 2 or 3 times, and it worked just fine.