Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a distribution based on Debian?
What is the primary purpose of the Debian Stable branch?
What organization was founded by the Debian Project to support its development financially?
What is the significance of the Debian Social Contract, Constitution, and Free Software Guidelines?
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Why is Debian no longer endorsed by the Free Software Foundation?
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What is the primary reason for the 'time-based freeze' in Debian releases?
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Which of the following best describes the development process of Debian?
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What is the significance of Debian being one of the oldest Linux distributions still in active development?
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What was the primary motivation for Ian Murdock to create the Debian distribution?
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Who took over the leadership of the Debian project in 1996?
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What is the origin of the name 'Debian'?
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What significant document did Murdock release with Version 0.90 of Debian?
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What role did the Free Software Foundation play for the Debian project in the 1990s?
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Which package manager became essential to Debian by 1996?
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What aspect of Bruce Perens' leadership was viewed as controversial?
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Which of the following versions marked the first public release of Debian?
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Study Notes
Debian Overview
- Debian is a Linux distribution composed of free and open-source software, with optional non-free components.
- Established by Ian Murdock on August 16, 1993, with the first version (0.01) released on September 15, 1993.
- The first stable version, Debian 1.1, was released on June 17, 1996.
- Known for its "Stable" branch, Debian is popular for both personal computers and servers.
Derived Distributions
- Serves as the foundation for various other distributions:
- Proxmox: server-centric distribution.
- Ubuntu & Linux Mint: desktop-focused distributions.
- Kali: aimed at penetration testing.
- Pardus & Astra: tailored for government use.
Historical Context
- One of the oldest Linux-based operating systems still actively developed, second only to Slackware.
- Coordinated by a volunteer team guided by the Debian Project Leader and three foundational documents: the Debian Social Contract, the Debian Constitution, and the Debian Free Software Guidelines.
- Regular updates with new releases occurring after a time-based freeze.
Free Software Philosophy
- Developed openly and distributed freely, aligned with principles of the GNU Project and Free Software.
- Initially sponsored by the Free Software Foundation from November 1994 to November 1995; however, FSF no longer endorses it due to the inclusion of non-free software and firmware.
Organizational Support
- Founded the nonprofit organization Software in the Public Interest on June 16, 1997, to provide financial support for ongoing development.
Distribution Codenames
- Codenames for Debian releases are derived from characters in the Toy Story films, with the unstable branch nicknamed "Sid" after a toy-destroying character.
Ian Murdock's Vision
- Murdock's goal was to create an openly maintained distribution, leading to the first public release in 1994 (version 0.90), which included the Debian Linux Manifesto.
- The manifesto articulated the need for a well-maintained distribution that adheres to the true spirit of Linux and GNU.
Key Developments
- By 1996, the dpkg package manager became essential for managing Debian packages.
- Bruce Perens took over project leadership in 1996 and played a crucial role in drafting the Debian Social Contract and guidelines amidst the Free Software vs. Open Source debate.
Transition and Evolution
- Initially spurred by dissatisfaction with the Softlanding Linux System (SLS), which was perceived as poorly maintained.
- Contributions and maintenance of core packages were delegated to Bruce Perens, allowing Murdock to focus on broader project management.
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Description
Learn about Debian, a Linux distribution composed of free and open-source software, its history, and features.
