>>Because, Behan, some of us do not yet have either a Debian system or a big >>pipe onto the internet to get one! > >I don't see why that should stop you (it didn't stop me). >Consider the following: >- I used dftp with my old Slackware system to get the original debian packages. >- I used a 14.4k modem to do it. > We are all so very happy for you :)
>You don't need an existing debian system nor a "big pipe onto the internet" >to do what I'm doing. You just need a little patience. Well, working with a Linux system to start with you had none of the 8.3 char file nameing problems that go along with a DOS installation. (You can't even tell sometimes what version you have!) I worked through all that (even though I'm not the most patient person you will ever meet) and I was able to obtain a system that could do PPP. During the pre-release period I was able to upgrade my kernel 2 0r 3 times (I seriously lost count). After the release date I went back and collected all of the "new" base packages and, on installing the base package, because dselect said it wasn't installed, I managed to scrog my configuration so that now I don't have a working PPP. When I was getting the new base packages I noticed that the setserial package was now in Base, where previously it had been in System (I think) and it is this that makes me worry about what additional problems I may develop for myself by trying to load a moving target. > >I'd also like to add that I can name at least 5 other people that have/are >doing the same thing as me (i.e. starting from either a DOS or Slackware >system, and continuously upgrading with dftp over a 14.4k line) with no >complaints. (And some of them are keeping 2 debian boxes up to date using >this same method.) > >Considering the above, IMHO the only people served by a fixed release are >CD vendors. > Well, I'm not a CD vendor and I would benifit! I think, from the other comments on this topic that I am not alone. I would go out right now and pay $20.00 (maybe even more) to get a CD with the R6 release on it (even thought I have not been able to mount a commercial CD with debian on my CDR) and have certainly spent more than $20.00 worth of my time already. >From my point of view having a "static" release available on ftp.debian.org would be detrimental to the CD vendor as I would not have to buy the CD if I could FTP it. It seems to me that you have firmly made up your mind. That, and the fact that I have probably more than spoken my mind on the subject, will, I hope, make this my last post on this thread. I will leave it to the rest of you to decide how, if at all, this issue will be resolved. My one final plea, is as one of the outsiders knocking on the door. I ask that you not leave us out here in the cold. Please let us in. A "fixed" "release" would greatly improve access to this wonderful distribution. Thanks, Dale
