I’m aware of Debian’s reputation for not having the most up-to-date software in its repository but have just noticed that Thunderbird is on its current version. Which makes me ask:

When does Debian update a package? And how does it decide when to?

I’m particularly interested in when it will make available the upcoming major release of GIMP to 3.0.

  • Libb@jlai.lu
    0·
    5 days ago

    The rule is that apps are only updated for security reasons. Not because of new features.

    So, new versions of apps may (or may not) be added to the next version of Debian.

    • Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      0·
      4 days ago

      Wow. I hate that. It’s positively terrible but it explains so much. And worst of all, I am in far too deep to switch distros at this point.

      • Libb@jlai.lu
        0·
        4 days ago

        Wow. I hate that.

        Well, it’s not like Debian hides it in any way or form. Quite the contrary.

        It’s positively terrible but it explains so much.

        Depends what you’re looking for in your distro. I love that stability and lack of updates outside of security issues.

        And worst of all, I am in far too deep to switch distros at this point.

        May I ask why you don’t think you can change distro? It’s just a matter of installing Linux (which takes a few minutes) and, if it’s not done already, of backing up your personal files and settings (most of them probably in your home folder, already).

        • Ganbat@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          0·
          4 days ago

          The amount of changes I’ve made and things I’ve installed. If I move to another distro, it’s gonna be at least a week before I have everything back up to where I want it.

          • Libb@jlai.lu
            0·
            4 days ago

            I understand. Maybe two things to consider:

            • It will depends how you installed your apps, but I have file containing a fe useful instruction in case I need to reinstall my system, one of them is just a ‘sudo apt install followed by the name of every single app I want to use’. I only need to copy and paste in a next terminal window to gat all my apps installed. All except the few that I don’t install using apt, say the few appimages I also use. For me it means three more apps, so it’s no big deal to download them by hand ;)
            • Most user settings and configuration should be stored somewhere in you home folder (for example, I know there many settings stored in the .config folders, others (related to the system and the DE you’re using maybe stored somewhere in .local, all my custom fonts are stored in ./fonts, and so on. I’m sorry, I’m no expert so I’m not very precise). All of that to say: by baking up your home, you probably also are backing up a lot of your configuration and tweaks.

            I have no idea how those settings are portable between two completely different distros, but I have once reinstalled my system and got most of my settings instantly back just by copying my home folder over to that fresh install. That plus the single line ‘sudo apt list-of-all-my-apps’ I was almost completely operational in mere minutes, including all my customer menus, panels, text size, themes,… The one thing I remember not working from that backup was my SSH keys. No idea why.

      • johannes@lemmy.jhjacobs.nl
        0·
        4 days ago

        Why switch distros? Go to Sid if you want the latest and greatest? Or maybe testing if you want a bit of best of both worlds? :) I’m really curious why you think you need to change distro’s.