Debian operating system

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Debian is a free operating system (OS) for your computer. An operating system is the set of basic programs and utilities that make your computer run. Debian provides more than a pure OS: it comes with over 59000 packages, precompiled software bundled up in a nice format for easy installation on your machine.

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cydork@lemmy.ml

I’m curious to know how you all handle the limited package selection in the default Debian repositories. (lemmy.ml)

submitted 3 weeks ago by shapis@lemmy.ml to c/debian@lemmy.ml

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I love the idea of trying Debian but every time I try to ditch Arch for it I end up just giving up after not being able to find all the packages I need in the repos.

How do you guys deal with that? I’m not even talking about them being out of date. I’m talking about them missing altogether.

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[–] Icecreamface@lemmy.ml 1 points 15 hours ago

there aren't many packages that I'm missing in debian. If the repo is missing something I just flatpak it. (or appimage)

[–] rzr@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 3 weeks ago

Please list packages you are lacking ? then file RFP and ITP issues

[–] retrolasered@lemmy.zip 7 points 3 weeks ago

Like what? I find that if its not in apt repo's then there is normally a deb package available from the developer or it can be built from source. I know its not AUR but I find debian to be the best supported in most instances, with rpm based second. I dont use snap or flatpak really, but ive been able to install everything I would have wanted to.

[–] silmarine@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Install flatpak and/or distrobox and you have everything you need.

[–] F04118F@feddit.nl 1 points 3 weeks ago

I've been using distrobox at work (on RHEL 8, Fedora 16 based) for a while, but the containerization tech (it uses podman) does seem to introduce some extra latency, which is especially painful when using CLI tools such as zoxide, eza and bat.

I'm in the process of switching to Nix, which should have native performance, the largest number of packages, and guaranteed reproducible, deterministic versions.

[–] shapis@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

How does Distrobox work? Is it as simple a

$ distrobox install app $ app

And it runs fine ?

[–] arality@programming.dev 1 points 3 weeks ago

Think of it like a virtual machine. I installed an arch base image, and install the aur version of vscodium. You have to export the app, to have a start menu button. but it's all relatively simple. It's pretty well documented in their github.

[–] data1701d@startrek.website 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

EDIT: Fix grammar mistake.

Usually, Flatpaks. My generally philosophy is that if it isn't in Debian, it probably won't last. I make exceptions when something is the best tool for the job, like Tom J Watson's Emote.

This isn't rock solid, I admit - there are plenty of defunct projects that were once in Debian repos (neofetch is still in sid), and there are plenty of lasting projects outside Debian.)

[–] dwindling7373@feddit.it 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This isn’t not rock solid

[–] data1701d@startrek.website 1 points 3 weeks ago

Fixed that little goof up.

[–] magicfab@mastodon.social 2 points 3 weeks ago

@shapis Flatpack

[–] BlastboomStrice@mander.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

I tried to make a (possibly dangerous as it is my first) script to auto update/install from 3rd party resources (https://github.com/BlastboomStrice/3rdPartyAutoUpdater), until I figured out that NixOS does something similar but better than my script.😅

I'll probably use debian in a nas in the future though

[–] pmk@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 3 weeks ago

Is it proprietary software? If so, I find a free software alternative.

[–] hyacin@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Add repos as needed (Docker, Hashicorp, helm, kubernetes, etc.), build from source for everything else.

[–] shapis@lemmy.ml 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Isn’t adding repos considered creating a FrankenDebian?

[–] hyacin@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago

Not in my books, but to each their own.