Will foreign packages break my system?

[djevil]

Hello,
I'm new to Debian (I currently switched from Ubuntu to Debian Buster, cause it's rolling)
and now I have a lot of questions.

I'm missing some packages (e.g. qt5ct, lmms), so I want to know if it will break the system(some day)
if I use foreign packages or self compiled packages,
and is it possible/recommended to install Ubuntu packages/ppa on Buster?

Regards djevil

[Thorny]

Hello,
I'm new to Debian (I currently switched from Ubuntu to Debian Buster, cause it's rolling)
and now I have a lot of questions.

Debian Buster is not a "rolling" release. Actually it is not really a release at all, it is the testing version of what will become the next release. It is meant to be used and tested by knowledgeable and experienced users who report bugs so that the developers can correct them. It really isn't suitable for the inexperienced. In addition, posters here often become annoyed by the "lot of questions" when inexperienced users find their "testing" system broken and don't understand how or why or what to do.

You can read about the stable, testing, and unstable versions here:
https://www.debian.org/releases/

I'm missing some packages (e.g. qt5ct, lmms), so I want to know if it will break the system(some day)
if I use foreign packages or self compiled packages,
and is it possible/recommended to install Ubuntu packages/ppa on Buster?l

This will probably answer those questions.
https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian

There is also plenty of other information in the Debian Wiki that might answer a lot of questions that will come up for you.

This is another good thing to read, it is a post from a forum administrator here
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=47078/

The general recommendation for inexperienced users is to use Debian Stable, which is currently Stretch.
I wish you good luck!

[djevil]

Hm, ok,
but Debian stable uses very old packages, and I wanted a rolling distro, so maybe I try Arch next.

Regards djevil

[stevepusser]

You can have both Debian stable and more up-to-date packages if you use the Debian backports repository, third party backports, or do them yourself. Before you say "OMG third party how can I trust that!", how much better off will you be using the Arch AUR?

[Hallvor]

Hello,
I'm new to Debian (I currently switched from Ubuntu to Debian Buster, cause it's rolling)
and now I have a lot of questions.

I'm missing some packages (e.g. qt5ct, lmms), so I want to know if it will break the system(some day)
if I use foreign packages or self compiled packages,
and is it possible/recommended to install Ubuntu packages/ppa on Buster?

Regards djevil

I would go for a part-rolling distribution like PCLinuxOS. You will get a "stable" core and all the latest applications. I haven't tried it the last few years, but they used to have a very good implementation of KDE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSExOffDvMY

Arch is also an option.

[kedaha]

The general recommendation for inexperienced users is to use Debian Stable, which is currently Stretch.

I've used Debian for quite a long time —since "Etch" in fact—and have always used stable on my desktop system and am happy with what I've got; if I really need newer software then I either use official backports or backport it myself. I think many experienced users prefer stable as their main desktop system. On my server I'm in no hurry to upgrade to current stable because oldstable works fine.
Something I've observed on these boards is that the lower the post count the higher the tendency to install sid or testing under the mistaken belief that these are "upgrades." But as Osamu Aoki, the author of the Debian Reference puts it:

Even though the unstable suite of the Debian system looks very stable for most of the times, there have been some package problems on the testing and unstable suite of the Debian system and a few of them were not so trivial to resolve. It may be quite painful for you. Sometimes, you may have a broken package or missing functionality for a few weeks.

No, neither "buster" nor "sid" is the way to shiny, new software.

[Gaius]

Something I've observed on these boards is that the lower the post count the higher the tendency to install sid or testing under the mistaken belief that these are "upgrades".

Hmmm, looks like I have to post more ...
I would never consider installing anything else than stable, at least not until I am sufficiently reacquainted with Linux in general and Debian in particular to feel confident that malfunctions are not due to mistakes I've made, but are genuine bugs.

Anybody who is not a seasoned Debian user is strongly advised to use only stable versions.

Otherwise how will you know whether there is something wrong with the distribution, or whether you simply messed up?

Use stable for some years ... learn how it works, understand which component does what (and why, and how).
Then, if you feel adventurous, switch to unstable or maybe even 'sid'.

Why make life harder for yourself?
Become proficient with Debian stable first, then consider the more demanding unstable or 'sid' distributions.

Cheers,
Gaius

Edit / P.S.: This is a bit rude (and rather funny) ... and it is also very true.

[TonyT]

My 2 cents:

As long as your system is not a production server for business critical stuff, and as long as your system is yours to fool with, go ahead and install whatever you want. The installation will not complete if required dependencies are missing. Just have backups of any files you need in case the system breaks. You can always reinstall debian and start all over again, albeit with new found knowledge and skills. An install and basic user preferences setup takes but a couple hours. IMHO this is the best way to learn quickly. You will also learn that the "latest and greatest" versions of most software are relative to what you want to do with that software. Hell, I still have a debian woody home server that does all I need it to do! I run sid on my laptop because I know what I'm doing and over the years have gained judgement about what and what not to take chances with.

[None1975]

Hello. Please read this.

[stevepusser]

Hello. Please read this.

If I wanted to read stuff, I'd go to the library!!!

Oh, wait, I am at the library...carry on.

Does anyone want qt5ct builds for Stretch on the openSUSE build service?

[debiman]

but Debian stable uses very old packages, and I wanted a rolling distro, so maybe I try Arch next.

that's the sort of opinionism that makes seasoned arch users roll their eyes.

the generic answer is:
if you have to ask a question like that (thread title), then archlinux is not for you.

but you probably meant some pre-fabricated arch derivate anyway.

[stevepusser]

A little google-fu also found qt5ct packages in the stretch-backports section of a Debian developers private repo, along with many other interesting packages: https://repozytorium.mati75.eu/ From a packager's point of view, they are higher quality than the ones from the Webup8 PPA you were probably using for Ubuntu.

[Wheelerof4te]

Hm, ok,
but Debian stable uses very old packages, and I wanted a rolling distro, so maybe I try Arch next.

Regards djevil

Don't try Arch, install Antergos:
https://antergos.com/

[djevil]

well, I installed Arch now, and I'm happy with it, I have actual packages, and didnot even need backports/ppas etc. and it seems stable.. at least in these two or three days of testing.


Regards djevil

[None1975]

Does anyone want qt5ct builds for Stretch on the openSUSE build service?

And made a new Frankenstein?