>From: michael hast <evylrobot19@cox.net>
>Reply-To: slug@nks.net
>To: slug@nks.net
>Subject: Re: [SLUG] Ubuntu questions
>Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2006 02:10:38 -0600
>
>"Since Ubuntu is based on Debian, most Debian packages can be installed
>with no problems provided the Ubuntu package is not already installed. The
>standard Debian APT package manager is also included in Ubuntu."
>
>as per:
>
>http://www.reverendlinux.com/linux/ubuntu.html
>
>--
>--Michael Hast (the evyl robot)
The Ubuntu development cycle works like so: Every 6 months, a snapshot is
taken from Debian unstable. At that moment in time, Ubuntu==Debian. From
that point, Ubuntu devs apply their own patches to add polish to certain
packages. They also replace some packages with newer or alternate packages
(e.g. XFree86 vs Xorg). As Daniel mentioned, glibc and gcc are some of the
main areas where incompatibilities could occur between Ubuntu and Debian.
Furthermore, after Ubuntu devs take a snapshot of Debian unstable, Debian
devs continue to work on and thus alter Debian itself. The result is that
when Ubuntu is finally released, it as well as Debian are both very
different from the original snapshot on which they were both based. Then
this entire process repeats itself.
Compatibility with Debian is not nor has never been a goal of Ubuntu. That
is part of the reason that Ubuntu does not get involved with DCC. The reason
behind this is that Ubuntu developers have slightly different goals than
Debian developers. This is not to say that one is better than the other,
just different. After all, if they were compatible with each other in every
way, what would be the point of Ubuntu's existance?
Personally, I feel that the resulting relationship is beneficial to both
distributions. Ubuntu obtains a solid base on which to base each new release
and Debian recieves patches and additional testing.
The point of my explanation is this: Debian packages may or may not work
with Ubuntu. If they do it is a fortunate accident. If they do not it is not
a mistake and those Debian packages could potentially break Ubuntu.
-Jonathon
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