Re: debian version ID

From	David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk>
Newsgroups	linux.debian.user
Subject	Re: debian version ID
Date	2016-08-01 16:40 +0200
Message-ID	<s1mxP-7wE-1@gated-at.bofh.it> (permalink)
References	<s1fmF-2Pt-1@gated-at.bofh.it>
Organization	linux.* mail to news gateway

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On Mon 01 Aug 2016 at 02:56:54 (-0400), Felix Miata wrote:
> Will someone please explain (or point to, since it's not in release notes), why:
> 
> 1: /etc/os-release (in Jessie at least) does not include the point
> release version as represented by /etc/debian_version

/etc/os-release is an outward-facing file designed for programs to
find out what distribution of linux is running here. As far as they
are concerned, each Debian version is a rolling release so the point
number is meaningless. Why would you want it?

/etc/debian_version is an inward-facing file for system administrators
and installers. Really, it only interests the latter because even the
point versions are rolling releases between points.

If you're installing a new system, the point release will at least
tell you whether it's worth downloading a new d-i iso or if you've
got the latest there is. Not much more.

If you need Debian 7, it's easy enough to install it. If you think you
need Debian 7.3, you're probably going to have trouble working out just
what versions of all the packages were available on December 14th, 2013.

Cheers,
David.

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debian version ID Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-08-01 09:00 +0200
  Re: debian version ID Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au> - 2016-08-01 09:30 +0200
    Re: debian version ID Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net> - 2016-08-01 11:00 +0200
      Re: debian version ID Ben Finney <ben+debian@benfinney.id.au> - 2016-08-01 12:00 +0200
  Re: debian version ID "Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@galactic.demon.co.uk> - 2016-08-01 09:40 +0200
    debian version ID Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.com> - 2016-08-09 11:10 +0200
      Re: debian version ID Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2016-08-09 13:40 +0200
        Re: debian version ID Seeker <seeker5528@comcast.net> - 2016-08-09 22:40 +0200
          Re: debian version ID David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-08-10 02:00 +0200
            Re: debian version ID Pascal Hambourg <pascal@plouf.fr.eu.org> - 2016-08-10 14:40 +0200
              Re: debian version ID David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-08-11 17:10 +0200
        debian version ID Jonathan de Boyne Pollard <J.deBoynePollard-newsgroups@NTLWorld.com> - 2016-08-29 13:50 +0200
          Re: debian version ID "Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@galactic.demon.co.uk> - 2016-08-29 20:30 +0200
            Re: debian version ID "Andrew M.A. Cater" <amacater@galactic.demon.co.uk> - 2016-08-29 21:50 +0200
              Re: debian version ID Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> - 2016-08-30 00:40 +0200
  Re: debian version ID David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2016-08-01 16:40 +0200

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