Debian testing is stable?

[ant]

From #linux people in a private IRC server:
...
[05:11pm] <Ant> M Debian 9 will be out this 17th?
[05:12pm] * Ant is still on 8.
[05:12pm] <Ant> stable
[05:12pm] <Ant> Soon to be oldstable!
05:12PM <M> add testing to your sources!
05:12PM <AS> debinine
[05:13pm] <Ant> no!
05:13PM <M> yes!
[05:13pm] <Ant> No testing.
[05:13pm] * Ant wants stability.
05:13PM <AS> yes testing
05:13PM <AS> testingis stable
05:13PM <AS> all of the packages are stable
05:13PM <M> why wouldn't you have stability? in fact then you'd have a
rolling release
[05:13pm] <Ant> How stable? I even run into issues with stable.
05:14PM <AS> stable != no issues
05:14PM <M> dude, your issues aren't related to stable/testing
05:14PM <AS> that too
...

[debiman]

which IRC channel is that?
anyhow, sounds like perfectly normal ranting/trolling to me.

the gist:
- make sure you have actual release names in your sources lists, i.e. "jessie", not "stable", etc.
- wait 3 more days.
- after that, whenever you're ready, change every occurence of "jessie" to "stretch"
- update, dist-upgrade.

[ant]

which IRC channel is that?
anyhow, sounds like perfectly normal ranting/trolling to me.

the gist:
- make sure you have actual release names in your sources lists, i.e. "jessie", not "stable", etc.
- wait 3 more days.
- after that, whenever you're ready, change every occurence of "jessie" to "stretch"
- update, dist-upgrade.

A private IRC server. I thought something was fishy. I told them I didn't want to run non-stable stuff since I care for stability even for oldstable. What about not right before and after release times? Is testing not stable like if I use it in a week from today?

[Lysander]

which IRC channel is that?
anyhow, sounds like perfectly normal ranting/trolling to me.

the gist:
- make sure you have actual release names in your sources lists, i.e. "jessie", not "stable", etc.
- wait 3 more days.
- after that, whenever you're ready, change every occurence of "jessie" to "stretch"
- update, dist-upgrade.

Is it better to clean install? And why wait three more days?

[arochester]

https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-a ... 00002.html

https://www.debian.org/releases/testing ... ase-notes/

[Roken]

Honestly, for most competent users, testing is absolutely fine. New comers, or those not sure about fixing a broken system should stick with the stable release.

My other machine is Arch, using testing (which is very much bleeding edge), and I rarely have to fix even that. Debian testing is more than stable enough for me.

[GarryRicketson]

https://raphaelhertzog.com/2010/12/20/5 ... -its-name/

[Lysander]

Honestly, for most competent users, testing is absolutely fine. New comers, or those not sure about fixing a broken system should stick with the stable release.

Indeed. I have been with Debian for a couple of months now and would definitely still consider myself a newcomer. I am also one of those who would be 'not sure' about fixing a broken system - in Autumn I start my PhD and I will not have time to spend researching bugs or broken software. Stable will be perfectly good for me.