Feature List for Debian GNU/Linux 2.1

Note that if you use this in any ad you have to scan for BSD-like copyrights and make a legend of legally required acknowledgements. Obviously any of the traditional BSD network clients and services fall in this category.

  • The Debian Project has developed strict guidelines for free software. All packages in the main distribution have to be conform to Debian's standard definition of free software, the DFSG (Debian Free Software Guidelines).
    The benefit of Debian's strict interpretation of free software both increases awareness of the high quality of free software, and makes life easier on those who seek to redistribute or modify the software. Everything in the main component of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution is DFSG-free and neither individuals nor companies have to worry about licenses on that software curtailing their freedoms.
  • Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 consists of 100% free software. The Debian Project accepts that non-free software exists. They believe that is desirable to users of Debian GNU/Linux and an infrastructure is provided for supporting software that is either itself non-free, or depends on non-free software to operate. Such software is included in the special components contrib and non-free.
  • Debian contributes back to the free software community. When the maintainer of a package makes local modifications or fixes bugs, patches are forwarded to upstream author(s).
  • Debian doesn't hide bugs. The bug tracking system is open to everyone. All users are encouraged to report any bug they encounter.
  • The complete distribution of Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 contains over 2,200 pre-compiled binary packages and about 1,500 source packages.
  • The Debian Project nowadays consists of about 400 people from all over the world. This is the largest staff of any Linux and free software project. Debian GNU/Linux is a volunteers' effort to create a free and high-quality distribution of Linux. Debian's developers are not paid by the Project, but they are free (as is anyone else) to make money from Debian on the open market, by selling Debian software and/or supporting Debian systems.
  • Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 will be released for the intel architecture (i386 and its successors), for the Motorola 68000 processor series (m68k) and for the alpha archtecture at the same time.
    Ports to the PowerPC, Sparc, UltraSparc, and Netwinder architectures, and to the GNU Hurd kernel are in progress.
  • Debian uses the well-designed and time-tested package format .deb together with its robust and feature-rich package manager dpkg.
    Extracting data from a .deb file does not require any unusual utility. Everyone can get the data in a .deb file by using standard *nix utilities like ar, tar and gunzip.
  • Debian GNU/Linux features strong and well-tested dependency relationships between packages as well as recognition of conflict situations. This makes it impossible to disable your system by installing the wrong combination of packages or leaving the system unusable because essential components are missing.
  • Debian packages ship pre-configured. Once you have installed a package it works. There is no need to wade through some hidden documentation or look for configuration files in strange places.
  • Full source of all packages in the main and contrib components of the distribution is included.
  • Debian GNU/Linux is fully FSSTND compatible.
  • All configuration is stored in /etc and its subdirectories. This is not only FSSTND-compliant but also presents you with an easy means of backing up all your system-specific configuration files.
  • Parts of the new package maintainance tool 'apt' are already included in form of the standalone program apt-get as well as a new method for the dselect program.
  • Debian GNU/Linux can be updated without taking the machine down. Just do it online -- even from a remote host, and without ever leaving multi-user mode.
  • Gnome is included.
  • Fast and free support through both the world-wide debian-user and regional mailing lists (like debian-user-de for Germany) as well as real-time support on IRC (irc.debian.org) on the channel Undernet.
  • Support for all known package formats like .rpm, .slp and .tgz through unique software developed by Debian called alien. This makes Debian compatible with other distributions such as RedHat, Slackware, SuSE, Stampede etc.
  • A consistent approach to the keyboard (for instance, the backspace key does the same thing in an xterm as it does in the Linux virtual console).
  • Convenient upgradeability through open development of upcoming releases. You want to keep your system current? Just update through the net once a week, no problem. This process is made particularly easy with the aforementioned "apt-get" tool.
  • To install Debian one can use several different media types such as CD-ROM, an MS-DOS or Windows hard disk partition, FTP, NFS, or a pre-mounted hard disk.
  • The OfficialCD's are bootable and provide floppy-less installations with different kernels addressing different hardware configurations. [hopefully]
  • Strong support for different packages that provide the same functionality (such as: smail, sendmail, and exim or elvis, nvi, vim, and ae). Alternative packages are managed through /etc/alternatives/.
  • Transparent support for two boot techniques: standard SysV and the new technique through /etc/runlevel.conf instead of /etc/rc?.d/ as implemented by the file-rc package by using update-rc.d.
  • Automatic update mechanism for installation of info files. The main database gets updated automatically when installing or removing such files.
  • The installation guide for Debian GNU/Linux 2.1 partially has been rewritten.
  • dwww makes all installed documentation visible to the user. This includes manpages, info files, html documentation and plain text documentation.
  • Most of the packages are tested with lintian a package checker.