You are running [:DebianStable:Debian stable], because you prefer the stable Debian tree. It runs great, there is just one problem: the software is a little bit outdated compared to other distributions. That is where backports come in.

Backports are recompiled packages from [:DebianTesting:testing] (mostly) and [:DebianUnstable:unstable] (in a few cases only, e.g. security updates), so they will run without new libraries (wherever it is possible) on a stable Debian distribution. It is recommended to pick out single backports which fits your needs, and not to use all backports available.

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Configure your Debian/Etch

Using Synaptic

• Open Synaptic
• Go to:

   Configuration > Repository

• Add this repository: attachment:synaptic.png

Using sources.list

• Open /etc/apt/sources.list

• Add this line:

   deb http://www.backports.org/debian/ etch-backports main contrib non-free

Key

To finish configuration, install debian-backports-keyring

Tips

some additions to the webpage, collected here, until they are moved over there:

- reorganize the navigation: move "Instructions" and "Contribute" to "Documentation", remove the "HOWTO" there (it's covered in Instructions") and provide some FAQ (mostly pointing to instructions and contribute)

About the instructions: I use the following settings for /e/a/preferences, while I never had luck with the instructions...

Package: * Pin: release a=sarge-backports Pin-Priority: 99

and then either "apt-get -t sarge-backports install foo" or

Package: openoffice.org Pin: release a=sarge-backports Pin-Priority: 999

the information in http://lists.debian.org/debian-project/2006/08/msg00122.html should also be covered in the instructions or FAQ

Other questions for the FAQ:

- how to use bpo (answer in "instructions") - which packages can be uploaded to bpo (answer in "contribute") - who can upload (answer in "contribute") ...

I would put this (and other) questions in the faq, but only give pointers as answers there. If you think this is stupid, then why not remove the FAQ alltogether?

dch -D sarge-backports -b -v$(dpkg-parsechangelog | sed -ne 's,^Version: ,,p')~bpo.1 -- Rebuilt for sarge.

External links

• http://www.backports.org for more information

• http://doc.cliss21.com/index.php?title=Backports contains information on how to backport packages, as well as some step-by-steps simple examples to start with.

• http://svn.madduck.net/pub/bin/debian/bpoprep script automates that process. You need some functions from http://svn.madduck.net/pub/bin/debian/dfunctions.

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