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Debian Linux Turns 25 (betanews.com)
BrianFagioli writes: Debian is one of the most important open source projects ever. The Debian Linux operating system is extremely popular in its own right, but also, it is used as the base for countless other distributions. Ubuntu, for instance -- one of the most-used distros -- is Debian-based. Even Linux Mint, which is based on Ubuntu, also has a Debian edition. Not to mention, Raspbian -- the official Raspberry Pi OS -- which is based on Debian too.
Today, Debian is celebrating a very important milestone -- a 25th birthday! Yes, it is seriously that old -- its development was announced on August 16, 1993. When the late Ian Murdock announced 25 years ago in comp.os.linux.development, the imminent completion of a brand-new Linux release, [...] the Debian Linux Release', nobody would have expected the 'Debian Linux Release' would become what's nowadays known as the Debian Project, one of the largest and most influential free software projects. "Its primary product is Debian, a free operating system (OS) for your computer, as well as for plenty of other systems which enhance your life. From the inner workings of your nearby airport to your car entertainment system, and from cloud servers hosting your favorite websites to the IoT devices that communicate with them, Debian can power it all," says Ana Guerrero Lopez of Debian. Further reading: Slackware, Oldest Actively Maintained GNU/Linux Distribution, Turns 25.
Today, Debian is celebrating a very important milestone -- a 25th birthday! Yes, it is seriously that old -- its development was announced on August 16, 1993. When the late Ian Murdock announced 25 years ago in comp.os.linux.development, the imminent completion of a brand-new Linux release, [...] the Debian Linux Release', nobody would have expected the 'Debian Linux Release' would become what's nowadays known as the Debian Project, one of the largest and most influential free software projects. "Its primary product is Debian, a free operating system (OS) for your computer, as well as for plenty of other systems which enhance your life. From the inner workings of your nearby airport to your car entertainment system, and from cloud servers hosting your favorite websites to the IoT devices that communicate with them, Debian can power it all," says Ana Guerrero Lopez of Debian. Further reading: Slackware, Oldest Actively Maintained GNU/Linux Distribution, Turns 25.
Debian is an amazing distribution. Thanks to everyone who has worked on it over the years.
RIP Ian.
Thank you Ian, Deb, and the countless volunteers for the years of hard work. You've changed an industry.
now I really DO feel old. 25? Oy!
One of the things I _hate_ about computing is the need to constantly upgrade. Upgrade your OS from this version to that version. I just want the damn thing to work and I don't want to screw around with it. So many years ago when I found out Debian allows you to just upgrade the system in place from one release to another, I was ready to see how well it worked.
At home I have a couple different servers, a mix of Debian and CentOS. The Debian server is my file/print/Plex server, that I've been running for about 10 years now. It's gone through multiple installs of Debian. apt-get dist-upgrade has worked with only a couple minor flaws for 10 years now, and made it so I don't have to spend my afternoon every 2-3 years recreating a server. It just works!
So thanks Debian for making my life easier.
I am proud to say that Debian has been my distro of choice for 20 of those 25 years.
Happy, happy birthday, Debian! Here's to 25 more!
Debian is one of the good guys. In a world where more and more software scrapes your data and monetizes you out the rear, Linux distros like Debian are trying to hold the line of keeping YOU in control of your computing experience, rather than a huge multinational in control.
I'm sure someone will point out they are not perfect, and that is true, but compared to Windows, Android, iOS, and others, Debian does a damned fine job of keeping your computer, your computer.
I donate to them once a quarter, to try to tilt the balance away from user-hostile software, hyper-monetization, and corporate spyware everywhere.
Donatiions.
And think you for all of your contributions.
And on Nov. 3, UNIX will turn 47.
Yes... and on Jan 19th, 2038, it turns -68!
dont call him that
I have always found it interesting the hatrid towards other OS's App stores for Apple and Microsoft, While Apt is in essence is the same concept but is warmly loved.
A location where you can get trusted application, setup to easily install on your environment.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
An important milestone is something like definitively switching to systemd and excluding any alternatives but 25 years is merely an arbitrary slice of time.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
I stand and applaud for those who have contributed to Debian for 25 years. Thank you!
(from someone who first ran Consensys SVR4 Unix on a 386 before Linux arrived))
And then systemd arrived.
Maybe in another 25 years "The Year of the Linux Desktop" will have finally happened! Also, world peace will be achieved and Half Life 3 will have been released.
And it's hypocritical how some people demand Linux to be "completely free" and yet go and spend thousands of dollars on systems and spam stuff like "No Tux No Bux!" whenever a game doesn't have a Linux version on launch (and oftentimes, never). You use Linux because you simply like it better than Windows, not because it's "free".
> From the inner workings of your nearby airport to your car entertainment system, and from cloud servers hosting your favorite websites to the IoT devices that communicate with them, Debian can power it all
That is, Debian can capture everything except for the home computer market. And that's sad.
With more and more people claiming that what OS you're running is irrelevant nowadays, you'd think it would've made some headway.
Once upon a time my wife hated it when I downloaded five floppies worth of Debian over a 28.8kbps dialup using the only telephone line we had.
22 years later, Debian is still here but that wife is not. :-)
Warning: This signature may offend some viewers.
We all know that Ian is now worm food. Ok.
However, where is "Debbie" is she some fat 50 year old trailer trash covered with stretch marks and Oreo crumbs? What the hell happened to Debbie? She was cute as button as the child appering on snack cake packages, but where is she today? Morbidly obese with one leg amputated due to diabetic neuropathy? I'd like to see her in an interview.
The way she dumped and disrespected Ian and sent his life into a downward spiral needs to be addressed. She owes society some serious mea culpas. Debbie must make amends!
Apple ate Linux's lunch for Unix on the desktop. Linux is okay for servers, but when the history books are written about computing, Linux will barely be mentioned.
Few who use it? Millions knowingly use it daily. Billions unknowingly use it via having an Android phone. I've been using Linux straight through since 1998 and have no desire to use anything else unless they resurrect BeOS, and yes, I'm aware of Haiku, but it's not ready for prime time.
how old would he be?
bitches.
Debian was the first ever distro I installed - on a 486 DX2 66 with VL-bus graphics. I had to use DPKG for the first time and even compiled the X Window System on it! This was my first task as a new hire at an ISP, "You see that box of old motherboards and parts? You have to build your own PC and put Debian on it." (Having only recently learned of this Linux thing.) The new people started on the lowest-end machines built by themselves from scratch out of leftover parts. As you worked there you got to get upgrades. A a tough baptism but worth it for the valuable experience gained.
25 years eh? Damn, I feel old, (and very nostalgic).
THANK-YOU to the Debian project and every maintainer and contributor over the last 25 years, you have helped change the world.
Aww were the instructions too hard for you to follow? Did you have to give up and re-install Windows Vista?
Now we need to update jokes about Debian containing 24^H^H25 years old packages.
38.8% of the current code in Debian was in the very first production Debian.
Stable? Not really? Old and useless? Indeed
It is possible to have a modern distro that keeps up to date and is rock solid stable. Debian and all its bastard children are not among them.
numbnuts
I've been using Linux exclusively on all of my own computers since 1994. I've never owned any computer that ran a Microsoft or Apple OS as it's primary OS. Ever. I went from TRS-80/Commodore/Atari to DOS-based IBM PC, to OS/2 Warp in the '92/'93 time-frame, then Linux in '93/'94 and never looked back. The Year of the Linux Desktop came a long time ago.
I have been on Mint XFCE for many years now, and systemd has been poking me with a stick, trying to get me to leave.
I wanted to try out Devuan, so I fired up a kvm and installed it. I had a list of things that I have setup now that I wanted to make sure worked and I got them up and running in a relatively short amount of time. I would have to do these things if I reinstalled Mint anyway. (with the latest release, I don't get a good feeling that I can do it trouble-free as I have in the past) I hadn't played with vms for a while, and had always used Virtualbox. I have to say, using kvm/virsh was quite pleasant and I was very happy with the performance of it.
My plan was to just get a 64 or 128 GB SSD and install Devuan on it, then keep my current disk setup as-is as a backup boot option. I just haven't pulled the trigger yet because I haven't dived into the SSD pool yet and want to do some more research on the purchase. And I read that prices may plummet in the coming months.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
I've been using Linux user for 20 years now, from RedHat (5.2) / Mandrake / *buntus / Mint. I have been looking at systemd-free options for a while now, and seriously considered FreeBSD. I read lots of blog posts, pros/cons, and I even read the FreeBSD Handbook! I get that it can be very stable and can meet nearly all my needs, but it just can't meet them all. I am not a hardcore gamer, but I've bought quite a few Humble Bundles over the years and have enjoyed many of the games. I have an Nvidia video card (oh horror!). It was a few months ago that I did my analysis, but there were a few gaps and quite a few more potential gaps.
I get it - for hardcore system admins, it's probably pretty awesome. But I am not. I am just a long-time linux user who (obviously) admins my own stuff. Since this thread is about Debian, it is what has spoiled me.. with all of its apt magic!! I don't want to have to go back to compiling packages to get them to work. I still do on occasion if I really need to, but I really can't spend hours on trying to figure out dependencies and troubleshooting build errors.
Maybe FreeBSD is somewhere in my future, but every time I have switched to a different OS / flavor of Linux, there has been a compelling reason - both for what I am switching from and to. I don't find FreeBSD compelling enough right now.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
Long Debian users like me, finds it very difficult to use Debian without systemd. I liked Gnome 3. But, no possibility with Debian testing or sid. Some companies may be wanting buggy and complex init replacement (systemd) incorporated in Linux to earn more or are under persuasion from security agencies to allow creating backdoor. But, Debian failed and embraced systemd, which I still wonder, how they voted up in majority? OpenRC is a good replacement. Or even classic sysVinit. It just works. Easy to use and troubleshoot. Very sad to see systemd made a hard dependency for most packages. Hope people unite for the cause of init freedom and support Devuan with more volunteering.
Well, based on your needs, Devuan and others probably work great. You are right that I'm talking about FreeBSD for the sysadmin crowd, not for desktop users or gaming. FreeBSD is very inferior to Linux at this point for gaming. It's got DRM 3D drivers, but you run into a ton of library and dependency failures if you try to run Steam or whatever. So, I have a drive with Linux and Steam and all that fun stuff too. I don't use FreeBSD for that. Still... no systemd there. For whatever reason, I've noticed that Steam seems to work best on Devuan anyway (versus Debian). So, it's a no brainer for me for gaming. Just FYI, though, FreeBSD updated it's 'pkg' tool to have all the same capabilities (actually more) than apt has. So, for a few years now, they've been at parity in that regard. Back when you had to compile everything in FreeBSD from ports, it was a bit more painful for users to get started, I agree.