You're configured to follow sid/unstable. Since things regularly migrate from sid/unstable to testing, in most regards the installed OS can't tell which you're on, though one can look at one's APT configuration to see what one is following. But they may not necessarily be distinguished by what's currently installed, notably, e.g. base-files provides /etc/debian-version and /etc/os-release, and at any given time, the version of that package, and thus its files, in testing and unstable may be the same. That's also why /etc/debian_version may a bit more fittingly accurate, with form of codename/sid notably as, if it's at least reasonably current, APT may be configured to follow codename, testing, sid, or unstable, and only looking into the APT configuration, etc. will distinguish. The case of /etc/os-release is a bit different, and it may need to satisfy some additional requirements (e.g. LSB?).
Not long after trixie is released, base-files will be updated in sid/unstable (currently under freeze) and will likewise make its way to testing, at which point it will indicate forky, instead of trixie, but it won't indicate forky before that. On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 8:42 PM Paul Scott <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello, > > I have run sid/unstable for about 20 years. The only active line in my > /etc/apt/sources.list is > > deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ sid main non-free-firmware > > cat /etc/os-release gives" > > PRETTY_NAME="Debian GNU/Linux 13 (trixie)" > NAME="Debian GNU/Linux" > VERSION_ID="13" > VERSION="13 (trixie)" > VERSION_CODENAME=trixie > DEBIAN_VERSION_FULL=13.0 > ID=debian > HOME_URL="https://www.debian.org/"; > SUPPORT_URL="https://www.debian.org/support"; > BUG_REPORT_URL="https://bugs.debian.org/"; > > Shouldn't it show sid or unstable or forky? > > TIA for any help understanding this, > > Paul > >
