This is a short list of different frequently asked questions you could expect to be asked when representing Debian on different kind of events including useful answers. Of course this list is far from being complete (well, just FAQs ) so feel free to add missing questions here, or even better: Discuss them with us in the [debian-publicity@lists.debian.org "debian-publicity list"].
Your help and your feedback ist most welcome!
Questions at community events
(... like for example FOSDEM, Chemnitzer Linuxtage, etc.)
- Why isn't there a Debian Live CD?
Debian now have Debian-live (https://www.debian.org/CD/live/).
- When will $foo be released?
We plan to release $foo on $releasedate, and it looks promising, because ... (take a look at the last mail from the release managers to d-d-a, ReleaseGoals)
- Why don't you release more often? / $foo is releasing more often, why can't you? / Why don't you have hard release cycles?
- Good quality assurance needs some time: If we say it's stable it is stable!
- higher quality / stability
- We take care for clean upgrades
- Many, many packages
- trade off between actuality (desktop) and stability (server)
- Own developments need time
- Why is $foo not in stable (if it's in testing, unstable, anyway)?
- The system must not change during an upgrade
- therefore stable ABIs / APIs / interfaces in general
You can use backports or if you like testing instead
- Note that testing is beta!
- The system must not change during an upgrade
Local community events
(... like Berlinux, Linux-Info-Tage Dresden)
- Suggestions for talks:
- Why should I use Debian and not Ubuntu?
- Bigger Community
- More and better support
In Germany for example debianforum.de or the debian-user-german mailing list
- "special requests" not as problematic
- more secure
- software might be non-free (or might become so)
- more supported software
- better established / mature / "old"
- more stable
- What is the difference between Debian and distribution $foo?
- Debian is free (both in the beer and in the speec meaning)
- Debian is not commercial
- Our developer want to work on Debian (difference in quality of a paid worker and an volunteer)
- Debian is well established
- Debian has many users and good support
- Is Debian easy to use / to install / reliable?
- Show it, let the visitor try for themselves
- I have a problem with hardware $foo (printer, wireless lan, graphics adaptor (especially 3D), sound, ACPI / notebook, ...)
- Software or hardware problem?
- Useful tools:
- memtest
- lspci
- lsusb
- update-pciids
- update-usbids
- dmesg
- /var/log/*
- module-assistant (m-a)
- Use google with the exact error message / type of the device
- Usefull links:
- If that doesn't work:
debian-user-* mailing list
- irc.debian.org
- New kernel from backports
- Show them how to do that!
The pinning is important!
- bugreport
I have a problem with application $foo (OpenOffice.org, GNOME, kde, evolution, Kmail, k3b, etc.)
- Send the visitor to the respective booth / show them the respective web sites or support offers
- manpages
- /usr/share/doc
- Might be in a seperate -doc package
- F1
- graphical tools for every day work (configuration (gnome / kde frontends for debconf, packagemanagement, file management, how to work as root under X)
- howto create screenshots
- Can / should I use stable / testing / unstable? What is the difference?
- stable is stable, testing is beta, unstable is alpha
http://www.debian.org/doc/FAQ/ch-ftparchives#s-dists explains it all
- I don't speak english; where do I send bugreports to?
Non english bugreports should be sent to the respective debian-user-* mailing list
- The submitter should ask the users to try to reproduce the problem and report that bug
Don't forget to thank them
- Where can I get support in german?
debianforum.de, d-u-g list, #debian.de (xchat, konverse, etc.)
- Where can I get Debian?
- Hand them a CD / DVD when available
- Point them to booth of sellers if available
- Local Linux user groups
At a commercial event
(... like CeBIT, Systems, LWE)
- Why should we use Debian and not Ubuntu?
- Security
- Performance
- Ubuntu is a desktop system
- limited support
- released too often (or do you want to upgrade all your machines every half year and send your staff to a new training?)
- LSB conformity (3.1 in etch)
- commercial support provider
- Debian better in cluster / raid (debian-beowulf)
man references (look at our userlist)
- support of old-stable one year (much time to upgrade)
- if you need more commercial provider
- continuity (upgrade without reboot, etc.)
- well established
- Where do I get commercial support for Debian?
- Point to at the fair available consultants
- Migration from $foo to Debian:
- ... from Windows ...
- Tell them about Munich, Vienna, Schwäbisch Hall (... or whatever examples you know from your country)
OpenOffice.org instead of $you_know_what
- evt. wine / crossoveroffice for Adobe Indesign, etc.
- Xandros
- wine
- .. from Unix ...
- normally no problems to be expected
- ... save some commercial applications
- ... which get less every day
- ... save some commercial applications
- normally no problems to be expected
- ... other distribution ...
- no central configuration toll (like yast)
- why not? Against unix philosophy (one purpose, one tool)
- better rights administration / distribution
- Alternatives: configure-debian, debconf (which can be configured to have a graphical interface; run "dpkg-configure debconf", select the gnome interface, install libgnome2-perl)
- Debian on well know hardware appliance:
- Nokia 770 and N810
- NAS (NSLU2)
- no central configuration toll (like yast)
- I produce hardware $foo. What do I need to do, to get it supported?
- Publish specifications
- Offer testmachine / testhardware
- Hire a Debian Developer
- I sell hardware $foo and want it supported by Debian stable / I want to distribute it with Debian stable
- Supply driver module on driver disc
- Show them backports.org
- Kmuto installer
- if nothing else works build own d-i (or pay someone to do it)
- I need a professional graphic application
- ... from Windows ...