GBK, what would you run your local repo on? How much space do you have? We used to use local Debian repos for kids on computers.
That project set up Linux computer labs in other countries. They used internet in a box server distro to have offline educational content for the students. We had one in Oaxaca that had a deb repo for raspbian desktop clients. It was fun. Personally I would to do it for other packaging formats, flatpaks, oci containers, rpms and flakes in the home lab. There are a lot of applications that people only package as a deb or PPA that I would like to run on distros I actually use. Patrick From: Ben Koenig via PLUG <[email protected]> To: "Portland Linux/Unix Group"<[email protected]> Cc: "Ben Koenig"<[email protected]> Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2026 07:36:29 -0700 Subject: Re: [PLUG] Anyone built a .deb repo for offline apt installs? > That is exactly the kind of thing we like to talk about at this > kiddie table ;) > > I would be interested in learning the steps to do this as an > educational exercise. At an abstract level I've implemented this > type of infrastructure for my Slackware boxen at home. I would > imagine that Debian has a wiki/blog article providing the same > steps with different tools. > > I guess the place to start would be to look up any documentation > or how-tos for hosting a Debian 'repository mirror'. You could > then customize that process according to your needs. > > As for the general PLUG mindset - Nobody here is going to lynch > you for trying to disconnect yourself from corporate monopolies. > > We might even help :) > -Ben > > On Thursday, June 11th, 2026 at 11:53 PM, George <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hey guys. I'm trying to plan against the inevitable apocalypse and get all > > the .deb files i might want onto a local robot. > > This way i can reinstall anything i use without internet access (or roaming > > the wasteland searching bombed out universities, hoping this thumb > > drive still works ). > > I figure it's only a matter of time before everything free isn't. I guess, > > once downloaded, it gets formatted into a readable organization, with a > > Packages file, using reprepro, and then link > > nginx over to the pool/ list. > > I'm wondering, only recently having wandered in after lurking you guyses > > posts on and off since the 90's, if this is the sort of thing you like to > > talk about? > > Or should i head back over to the kiddie table in shame? > > Or, likewise, am i gonna get jailed for talking about stuff that's reserved > > to the scripture of paid gurus? > > Mostly, i joined cuz i'm looking for someone in Hillsboro to talk to about > > this junk over a beer, without having to drive into PDX to do it. > > (I love PDX in that wistful way that i reminisce about how great my ex-wife > > used to be.) > > -gbk > > >
