Tidying up sources.list and repos [SOLVED]

[Lysander]

My sources.list [and sources.list.d directory files] are quite a mess. Over the last month I have commented out a lot of stuff and added comments next to them when duplicates appear after running apt-get update.

To see what I mean, here is the output of

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 cat /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*

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#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 8 _Jessie_ - Official Snapshot amd64 LIVE/INSTALL Binary 20170116-23:46]/ jessie main 

#deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 8 _Jessie_ - Official Snapshot amd64 LIVE/INSTALL Binary 20170116-23:46]/ jessie main 

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie main contrib non-free
#deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie main contrib non-free

#deb http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main 
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main 

# jessie-updates, previously known as 'volatile'
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main 
#deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main 



deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ jessie main non-free contrib 
#deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ jessie main non-free contrib 
deb http://deb.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free 
#deb-src http://deb.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free 
deb http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main contrib non-free
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main contrib non-free 

deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free 

deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main 
#deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main 

#deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main 
#deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main 

#deb http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main 
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main 


#below repo appears to be a duplicate of http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main 
##deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main contrib non-free 
#deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie main contrib non-free 

deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free 
#deb-src http://httpredir.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free 

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/no1wantdthisname/ppa/ubuntu trusty main
#deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/no1wantdthisname/ppa/ubuntu trusty main

deb http://http.debian.net/debian jessie-backports main contrib

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main
deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main contrib non-free

deb http://download.videolan.org/pub/debian/stable/ /
deb [arch=amd64] https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/brave-apt jessie main
deb http://download.opensuse.org/repositories/home:/stevenpusser/Debian_8.0/ /
deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free
# deb https://tiliado.eu/nuvolaplayer/repository/deb/ jessie stable # tiliado-nuvolaplayer stable
# was downloaded as a Spotify alternative on early OS install
### THIS FILE IS AUTOMATICALLY CONFIGURED ###
# You may comment out this entry, but any other modifications may be lost.
deb http://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb/ stable main

I came across the site https://debgen.simplylinux.ch which looks like a great way to tidy things up.

Should I remove everything from the sources.list, start with the suggested repos I got through the website above [by choosing UK repos for Jessie but without src repos], which gave

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###### Debian Main Repos
deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stable main contrib non-free

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ stable-updates main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main

deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main

Add add the non-commented lines in my current sources.list file?

[dasein]

I came across the site https://debgen.simplylinux.ch which looks like a great way to tidy things up.

Should I remove everything from the sources.list, start with the suggested repos I got through the website above...?

No. That site has a long history of issues.

The solution is simple: learn what you need to learn to maintain your software sources. It may not be particularly interesting, but it's also just not that hard. The pertinent Wiki page has all the information you need: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

As posted, your sources will automatically switch to Stretch without warning once the freeze is complete. That may or may not be what you intend. (Personally, I like being able to control that transition, rather than having it "just happen.")

[Lysander]

I came across the site https://debgen.simplylinux.ch which looks like a great way to tidy things up.

Should I remove everything from the sources.list, start with the suggested repos I got through the website above...?

No. That site has a long history of issues.

The solution is simple: learn what you need to learn to maintain your software sources. It may not be particularly interesting, but it's also just not that hard. The pertinent Wiki page has all the information you need: https://wiki.debian.org/SourcesList

As posted, your sources will automatically switch to Stretch without warning once the freeze is complete. That may or may not be what you intend. (Personally, I like being able to control that transition, rather than having it "just happen.")

Thanks for the link, I'll have a proper read of it. I know what you mean, it's better to learn the language rather than stock parrot phrases. I'll come back when I have a question [which I probably will].

[Thorny]

Thanks for the link, I'll have a proper read of it. I know what you mean, it's better to learn the language rather than stock parrot phrases. I'll come back when I have a question [which I probably will].

While you are there, I suggest it might be wise to also back out to the front page of the wiki, https://wiki.debian.org/, and review some of the other topics presented. There is a chance that you might find answers to some other questions that you haven't yet thought of and can save yourself having to ask on the forum. You have demonstrated an ability to learn and the forum works best when people do a lot of their own research and just have to ask for a bit of clarification or a hint or two.

[Lysander]

Thank you, I have done what I think is some sufficient cleaning and now these are the only active repos

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deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie main contrib non-free
#deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie main contrib non-free

deb http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main contrib non-free
#deb-src http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/ jessie-updates main 

deb http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main contrib non-free
#deb-src http://security.debian.org/ jessie/updates main contrib non-free 

deb http://httpredir.debian.org/debian jessie-backports main contrib non-free

deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free 

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/no1wantdthisname/ppa/ubuntu trusty main
#deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/no1wantdthisname/ppa/ubuntu trusty main

deb http://download.videolan.org/pub/debian/stable/ /

Everything seems smooth after

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apt-get update

I have two questions.

1. I have a load of commented out repos below those above. Is it best to keep them there or remove them, and if I can remove them, what's the best way to remove them?
2. I am slightly concerned about having the Ubuntu PPA

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deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/no1wantdthisname/ppa/ubuntu trusty main

there, which was added for improved font rendering vis a vis this article. It certainly works well but should I comment out the PPA or leave it?

[Thorny]

I have two questions.

1. I have a load of commented out repos below those above. Is it best to keep them there or remove them, and if I can remove them, what's the best way to remove them?
2. I am slightly concerned about having the Ubuntu PPA

Commented lines won't be acted on so you have to decide if you wants those notes or not.

The Debian Wiki under fonts mentions Infinality and, interestingly, also mentions a "How To" post right here in our forum. You might want to have a look at that long thread.

[dilberts_left_nut]

Probably worth noting that commenting out the foreign repo's won't remove any of the packages installed from them, or magically fix any lurking incompatibilities with current or future upgrades.

[dasein]

I have two questions.

1. I have a load of comm...ented out repos below those above. Is it best to keep them there or remove them...

As Thorny said, leave them or not, as you wish. (Although if there are as many as you seem to imply, I'd remove them if it were me. But that's a personal preference.)

what's the best way to remove them?

Um, keyboard? Favorite text editor? (Is this a trick question?)

2. I am slightly concerned about having the Ubuntu PPA
[snip]
should I comment out the PPA or leave it?

If it's served its purpose, comment it out. This is an extraordinarily good habit to develop, not just for this PPA but any foreign repo.

And I'm idly curious why you didn't just install VLC from the repos. (Forgive any display of ignorance implicit in the question. I don't use VLC; I may be the only person on the planet who doesn't like it.)

[Lysander]

Thank you to everyone for the responses and for the links for future reading. I'll take a look at all those mentioned. My questions also all appear to have been answered, I will mark this as solved.

As Thorny said, leave them or not, as you wish. (Although if there are as many as you seem to imply, I'd remove them if it were me. But that's a personal preference.)

Yes I think I'll keep them for now and if I want to remove them, I'll create a backup of the file.

Um, keyboard? Favorite text editor? (Is this a trick question?)

Haha, I meant either that or

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sudo add-apt-repository -r ppa:<ppa to remove>

I suppose it's just preference then.

If it's served its purpose, comment it out. This is an extraordinarily good habit to develop, not just for this PPA but any foreign repo.

OK great, thanks. I'll do so.

And I'm idly curious why you didn't just install VLC from the repos. (Forgive any display of ignorance implicit in the question. I don't use VLC; I may be the only person on the planet who doesn't like it.)

You know, I can't quite remember. Probably because I was still getting comfortable with Debian in general so went through another method. I'm not a massive fan of VLC either.

[dasein]

Um, keyboard? Favorite text editor? (Is this a trick question?)

Haha, I meant either that or

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sudo add-apt-repository -r ppa:<ppa to remove>

I suppose it's just preference then.

text editor gonna be way quicker. (Just sayin')

[Bulkley]

I don't use VLC; I may be the only person on the planet who doesn't like it.

You're not.

[stevepusser]

After looking into that "VLC" repo, I can report that it just provides a rather old version of the libdvdcss decryption library--the videolan developers also maintain that code. I prefer to use Debian's libdvd-pkg installer script myself for that library; just install it and run

# dpkg-reconfigure libdvd-pkg

to download the latest source, then build and install a deb package of the library automagically.