Debian - Software Repositories

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A computer with Debian installed has a symbiotic relationship with the Internet.  From the moment Debian starts to install on your machine, it wants to know where it can find a Debian Repository.  Of course, you can have a very successful install without access to the Internet or a Repository, however doing so deprives your machine of one of Debian's greatest features.  Debian Internet Repositories have arguably the largest collection of ready-to-run Linux software available, with security updates and bug-fixes as well.  How can this not be a good thing?

How large?  Were you to download the entire i386 Debian Squeeze collection, you would be up for 53 CDs.  Of course, as I've said before, an initial default Debian install needs at the most, the first CD.

So, how does all this work?  Well, for an installation it matters little whether you download the netinstall CD or the CD1.  The only advantage of CD1 is that you can install a full desktop without any internet connection, whereas you will need it for the netinstall CD.  Other than that, they appear identical during the install process.

I probably should give an overview of the install process to give some background.  Once the base install of the system has been completed, it runs a script called "tasksel" which asks you what you want to use the computer for.  "Desktop" is the default, so once you give the OK after carefully making sure you have put an [X] next to your choice, then it goes away to the chosen Internet repository (or the CD) to get the packages needed and in the end, you reboot into a Gnome Display Manager, from where you can log into your Gnome Desktop.  I should mention that the installation process will, near the end, search for any other operating systems on your machine, ask you if it can install a boot manager at the start of the disk, and then install GRUB2 to manage which system you boot into.  See a previous post on how to adjust the default boot system.

A warning.  Windows has never played well with other children, so see what you may need to do as far as managing Vista or Win7 alongside Linux.  I only have WindowsXP, which is manageable.

Back to talking about the repositories.  From now on, you may use the command line apt / aptitude tools or a graphical program such as Synaptic to view the packages available, choose which you would like to install to your machine and then have a cup of tea or coffee while it is downloaded and installed for you.  Once the program is installed it appears within the Debian menu structure ( if that is suitable) and you are set.

And there we are again, talking about Debian's apt and menu systems.


Later .........