[vox-tech] regaining stability in Debian

[Ted Deppner]

On Wed, Oct 30, 2002 at 02:23:14PM -0800, Issac Trotts wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 29, 2002 at 11:07:53PM -0800, Rick Moen wrote:
> > Quoting Issac Trotts (ijtrotts@ucdavis.edu):
> > > At one point I wanted an unstable package and so apt-get brought a
> > > lot of other things with it.  Being new to all this, I haven't been
> > > sure how to go back.  I'd be interested in knowing if there's a
> > > clean way to do it, since it doesn't seem to work to just change the
> > > sources back to stable.
> > 
> > You might want to just change "unstable" to "testing" in your
> > sources.list.  After about a week of apt-get sessions, you'll be
> > safely that far back from the bleeding edge.  Much easier than
> > reverting to "stable".
> 
> This doesn't work like stable and unstable.  When I change things in
> sources.list and preferences to testing, I get this:

Stepping into this thread late, sorry.

be aware...  fictional numbers, real situation:

stable: libc6 at version 1.0.1
** change apt source to unstable
unstable: libc6 at version 1.2.1 (and installed)
** change apt source to testing
testing: libc6 at version 1.1.1 (but your installed version is still 1.2.1)
** SECURITY problem in libc6, new versions available
stable: libc6 at version 1.0.2
unstable: libc6 at version 1.2.2
testing: libc6 at version 1.1.2 (but your installed version is still 1.2.1)

See the problem?  You'll think you're okay, but you really aren't, because
you spent enough time at unstable to get many "new" packages that testing
and unstable won't be near ever.

The solution is complex in functionality and brief:

vi /etc/apt/preferences
Package: *
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority: 1050

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 400

Then add testing and unstable apt sources to your /etc/apt/sources.list
file, along with stable.

This makes stable the preferred architecture (highest priority) and will
downgrade (because the pin-priority is over 1000) if needed to reach it.
Change the priority to 950 to prefer stable, but allow testing or unstable
with the appropriate 'apt-get --target-release unstable packagename'
command.  Change the package names as you wish -- you can add a Package:
evolution paragraph with a pin priority at 1100 for instance.

This is an awesome configuration choice, you have the stability of the
stable release, and the choices provided by testing and unstable where you
want them -- and ONLY where you want them.

man apt_preferences for more details.


-- 
Ted Deppner
http://www.psyber.com/~ted/