Debian User Forums

Hello there,

I am using Debian unstable for quite a time now. I not sure which place would be best to discuss issues related to packages in unstable. As I see it the Help section is rather for users using stable branch. Is there some convention where other's branch user can talk about their issues?

Thanks,

LK

There are loads of threads about issues in upstream Debian; jump right in.

Perhaps the mods might create a section for upstream Debian discussion to get things organized. We get a lot of posts from newbies using upstream because the packages are newer, then they start a thread "Help! can't XXXX...." without ever mentioning they are running testing or Sid.

Hello All

Might be an idea to quote the version number of any packages that you think may be associated with the issues you are seeing. An example of the Wheezy install I'm on now...

Code: Select all

keith@teacup:~/tex$ apt-cache show nano | grep Version
Version: 2.2.6-1+b1

Things do get fixed in Sid: I had a problem with printing pages two and four up from Evince in Sid for a few months, it cleared up with when an upgraded Evince package arrived. Quoting the version would enable anyone with similar issues to check if the information was still current or not.

lebenskuenstler wrote:Is there some convention where other's branch user can talk about their issues?

There's no such place and I think it is by design.

The fact is that the largest part of the Testing/Unstable userbase that would post questions in a specific "development branches" area, is made of users who run development branches without the proper understanding of their purpose within the Debian ecosystem.
There are so many users who are carelessly upgrading their Stable systems just to get newer software or to feel a false sense of greater achievement, and I suspect that having a dedicated area would give them a sense of entitlement in pursuing their often ill-advised decision to venture into development territory.

That said, as a Testing/Unstable user myself, I have often pondered about such an area, but in my mind it was mostly for the purpose of coordinating bug reports within members of our small community (like, for instance, a user finds a bug, he pre-reports it here, other users check it out, they exchange ideas and in the end, if it is still thought as a bug, the user reports it officially).

But an area for users' problems in development branches? I don't think is a good idea.

Bye

You should probably only run sid if you can troubleshoot & fix problems yourself.

Debian Stable is the official Debian release, diluting the support section with sid threads just decreases the signal-to-noise ratio of the forums.

If one does run into a problem in unstable, it would do no harm to peek into the siduction forum.