>>>>> "Andy" == Andy Saxena <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
Andy> On Sid about a 100 or so packages are updated everyday. A few weeks
ago, I
Andy> had a severely disabled system when the PAM modules failed to
function. In
Andy> essence, I couldn't log into the system.
Another important rule for using sid is: know your stuff, inside *and*
out. I'm not trying to put you down here, I'm just noting that you
*can* run unstable. You just have to know how to get out of a mess if
sid throws you in one.
(And anyway, the fact that you still run your system shows that you
knew how to solve the pam problem...)
Andy> 2)"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Many will recommend
Andy> that a cron job be run to update packages daily.
You mean "apt-get upgrade" nightly? I've honestly never heard anyone
recommend this. (Completely disregarding the fact that it's not even
possible... one config question and you're dead).
The usual is "apt-get update; apt-get -dy upgrade". So when you want
to install any upgrade in normal waking hours, you can w/o having to
run a download.
Andy> 4) Some packages - like the libpam package - can break your
Andy> sytem critically. Be very wary when upgrading these
Andy> packages. It would be wise to download the package, and
Andy> watch the mailing list for updates in the days
Andy> following. Better still, wait a few days and watch the bug
Andy> reports posted for that package. Once satisfied that the
Andy> package is "stable", install it.
This bears repeating:
Know what the packages do. And know which you have to look out for
(which can cripple your system, or have an impact on a lot of critical
apps).
When new unstable libc appeared in sid a while ago (quite a while... I
think it was before potato, so woody was still unstable, not testing),
I waited a couple weeks even.
Until I couldn't stand not being able to upgrade almost all the other
packages ;-)
Bye, J
--
Jürgen A. Erhard ([EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED])
My WebHome: http://members.tripod.com/Juergen_Erhard
"Yesterday's the past and tomorrow's the future.
Today is a gift -- which is why they call it the present." -- Butterfly
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