Slashdot Mirror
Major New Features in Debian Etch
Klaidas writes "Linux.com reports that the third beta of Debian Etch installer (released August 11, 2006) has some major new features, which might make this version of Debian the easiest to install.
According to the original announcement, we will now be able to install using a graphical user interface on i386 and amd64 platforms. We will also be able to set up encrypted partitions during installation. Debian Etch is scheduled to be released on December 2006"
Did you even read the title there? Illegal to refuse to decrypt.
Not illegal to have encrypted partitions. A non-issue if you give the police your password when they ask you for it.
On the other side of the ocean, it's a potential starter for when HIPAA-level security is required.
Even if your physical location can't be secured you can still keep the data private.
Mod me down and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!
stolen HD? yes, but no good against stolen computer (and only good if the crooks cannot do the above two)
Yes, good against a stolen computer, as mounting the said partition requires the right passphrase.
Lex
1)
It's not so much apt-get as the vast number of really good packages. If you want to install something, you're far more likely to find it packaged and packaged well on debian than on redhat.
AFAIK the encryption key is required during the boot process. If the computer is shutdown during the removal process, then it'll need the key when the computer boots back up. The normal way to do this is to stick the key on a USB stick, which you insert while the computer is booting. Once the machine is online, you physically remove the USB key, and store it somewhere else. This is great if you have a machine at location you don't physically control, and you want your data to be safe from prying eyes if you machine is ever taken without your consent.
That said, I've never installed Debian from scratch. Instructions to get (which?) .iso file are too damned confusing
The answer is "any" (or well not CD 2-X of the set, unless you get disc 1). It comes in many different sizes, but the only difference between netinst, businesscard, cd-iso, dvd-iso is how much you need to download during install, which is a balance between having to redownload (if you install on several machines or need to reinstall) and downloading packages you don't need. If that is really too complex for you, well... Debian is not for you.
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
I have been using SuSE's encrypted partitions for more than 3 years now, they have always been completely integrated into the graphical installer.
Yes, they do require someone to enter the (very long!) passphrase during the OS startup process, but that's a small price for the measure of peace of mind that it provides.
Terje
"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"
what cds you wan't depends on the number of machines your installing and your ease of access to the internet during installations.
if you are planning to work away from an internet connection get the whole damn set of main CDs/DVDs.
if the machines don't have CD drives get the boot root and net-drivers floppies
if you are just doing one box and don't plan to use the cds after initial install get the netinst CD
if you wan't it to fit on a buisnesscard and don't care about ending up with an 486 optimised kernel (you can install an optimised one later from the net if you wan't) get buisnesscard.
otherwise get main CD 1.
note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
good point. and I would agree. I just pointed this out as it was something I encountered a few years back when I was trying to jump into linux and was experimenting with vector and slack, etc., as these were touted by a few resources as probably running better on old architecture and low memory machines.
my site of misleading and incorrect information!