• attachment:Debian-announcement-1993.txt of DebianHistory

   1 From portal!imurdock Mon Aug 16 06:31:03 1993
   2 Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development
   3 Path: portal.imurdock
   4 From: imurdock@shell.portal.com (Ian A Murdock)
   5 Subject: New release under development; suggestions requested
   6 Message-ID: <CBusDD.MIK@unix.portal.com>
   7 Sender: news@unix.portal.com
   8 Nntp-Posting-Host: jobe.unix.portal.com
   9 Organization: Portal Communications Company -- 408/973-9111 (voice) 408/973-8091 (data)
  10 Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1993 13:05:37 GMT
  11 Lines: 86
  12 
  13 Fellow Linuxers,
  14 
  15 This is just to announce the imminent completion of a brand-new Linux release,
  16 which I'm calling the Debian Linux Release. This is a release that I have put
  17 together basically from scratch; in other words, I didn't simply make some
  18 changes to SLS and call it a new release. I was inspired to put together this
  19 release after running SLS and generally being dissatisfied with much of it,
  20 and after much altering of SLS I decided that it would be easier to start
  21 from scratch. The base system is now virtually complete (though I'm still
  22 looking around to make sure that I grabbed the most recent sources for
  23 everything), and I'd like to get some feedback before I add the "fancy" stuff.
  24 
  25 Please note that this release is not yet completed and may not be for several
  26 more weeks; however, I thought I'd post now to perhaps draw a few people out
  27 of the woodwork. Specifically, I'm looking for:
  28 
  29 1) someone who will eventually be willing to allow me to upload the
  30 release to their anonymous ftp-site. Please contact me.
  31 Be warned that it will be rather large :)
  32 
  33 2) comments, suggestions, advice, etc. from the Linux community. This
  34 is your chance to suggest specific packages, series, or
  35 anything you'd like to see part of the final release.
  36 
  37 Don't assume that because a package is in SLS that it will necessarily be
  38 included in the Debian release! Things like ls and cat are a given, but if
  39 there's anything that's in SLS that you couldn't live without please let me
  40 know!
  41 
  42 I'd also like suggestions for specific features for the release. For example,
  43 a friend of mine here suggested that undesired packages should be selected
  44 BEFORE the installation procedure begins so the installer doesn't have to
  45 babysit the installation. Suggestions along that line are also welcomed.
  46 
  47 What will make this release better than SLS? This:
  48 
  49 1) Debian will be sleeker and slimmer. No more multiple binaries and
  50 manpages.
  51 2) Debian will contain the most up-to-date of everything. The system
  52 will be easy to keep up-to-date with a 'upgrading' script in
  53 the base system which will allow complete integration of
  54 upgrade packages.
  55 3) Debian will contain a installation procedure that doesn't need to
  56 be babysat; simply install the basedisk, copy the distribution
  57 disks to the harddrive, answer some question about what
  58 packages you want or don't want installed, and let the machine
  59 install the release while you do more interesting things.
  60 4) Debian will contain a system setup procedure that will attempt to
  61 setup and configure everything from fstab to Xconfig.
  62 5) Debian will contain a menu system that WORKS... menu-driven
  63 package installation and upgrading utility, menu-driven
  64 system setup, menu-driven help system, and menu-driven
  65 system administration.
  66 6) Debian will make Linux easier for users who don't have access to the
  67 Internet. Currently, users are stuck with whatever comes with
  68 SLS. Non-Internet users will have the option of receiving
  69 periodic upgrade packages to apply to their system. They will
  70 also have the option of selecting from a huge library of
  71 additional packages that will not be included in the base
  72 system. This library will contain packages like the S3
  73 X-server, nethack and Seyon; basically packages that you and I
  74 can ftp but non-netters cannot access.
  75 7) Debian will be extensively documented (more than just a few
  76 READMEs).
  77 8) As I put together Debian, I am keeping a meticulous record of
  78 where I got everything. This will allow the end-user to
  79 not only know where to get the source, but whether or not
  80 the most recent version is a part of Debian. This record
  81 will help to keep the Debian release as up-to-date as possible.
  82 9) Lots more, but I'll detail later...
  83 
  84 Anyway, I'll provide more specifics in a week or so after I receive enough
  85 replies.
  86 
  87 Please, all replies by mail. I'll post a followup. If you wish to discuss
  88 this in the newsgroup, please don't turn it into a flamewar. :)
  89 
  90 Until later,
  91 
  92 Ian
  93 --
  94 Ian Murdock                              Internet: imurdock@shell.portal.com
  95 The Linux Warehouse