Introduction
We encountered many issues with Ubuntu 12.04 not being stable enough and having bugs unfixed, or ubuntu dependencies not being as good as the Debian one.
All of our clients are using Ubuntu 12.04 32 bits and we decided to find an alternative to replace Ubuntu before the LTS expires.
Which alternative?
We decided to choose Debian for the following reason:
- More stable than Ubuntu as doesn't have the extra layers of the latest
- Not loaded with all the extra softwares
- Doesn't have any commercial direction
- Supports LTSP
- Our team is used to Debian's way
- Our server run Debian
32 bits vs 64
Our servers run 64 bit version of Debian but we need to see if all software are compatible.
Stable or Testing
- For Services: Stable
- For BlueLight team: Testing
apt-get update apt-get upgrade apt-get dist-upgrade reboot
Migrating from Ubuntu to Debian
Problems
- People are now used to have the close, minimize, maximize buttons on the left
- People are used to the launcher
- People are used to firefox, thunderbird and chrome
Solutions
- Use tweaks to make the system look like unity, get the users used to the left buttons even if not handy
- Gnome 3 has a similar launcher
- icedwisel, icedove and chromium just have different icons than their homologous
For thunderbird install, use the mint deb if necessary: http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/import/t/
Find out the fastest mirrors
Trying to get Testing installed I realized it would take me hours as it depends on the connection to the mirror.
In order to select the best mirror do the following from a Debian machine (A source list will be copied to your home directory):
su - apt-get install netselect-apt netselect-apt mv /etc/apt/sources.list{,.bak} cp ~/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list apt-get update
Here is the result from 2014/01/04 in BlueLight:
# Debian packages for stable deb http://debian.mirror.net.in/debian/ stable main contrib # Uncomment the deb-src line if you want 'apt-get source' # to work with most packages. # deb-src http://debian.mirror.net.in/debian/ stable main contrib # Security updates for stable deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main contrib
IN order to avoid surprises we will use the distribution name instead of stable
# Debian packages for stable deb http://debian.mirror.net.in/debian/ wheezy main contrib # Uncomment the deb-src line if you want 'apt-get source' # to work with most packages. # deb-src http://debian.mirror.net.in/debian/ wheezy main contrib # Security updates for stable deb http://security.debian.org/ wheezy/updates main contrib
Alternative
Use deb http://http.debian.net/debian/ wheezy main contrib
From Thunderbird to Icedove
for each user
mv ~/.icedove{,-org} mv ~/.thunderbird ~/.icedove
Extra packages
apt-get install sudo rsync vlc audacious emacs23-nox ssh icedove chromium gnome-tweak-tool flashplugin-nonfree python-software-properties file-roller gedit telepathy-gabble
Changing the appearance
Adding the Ubuntu 12.04 icons and cursors
rsync -av root@192.168.10.2:/usr/share/icons/ubuntu-mono-dark /usr/share/icons/ rsync -av root@192.168.10.2:/usr/share/icons/DMZ-White /usr/share/icons/
Delete in Nautilus
edit ~/.config/nautilus/accels, search for the line:
; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/DirViewActions/Trash" "<Primary>Delete")
uncomment and change to:
(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/DirViewActions/Trash" "Delete")
Desktop Environment comparaison
http://www.renewablepcs.com/about-linux/kde-gnome-or-xfce
Desktop sharing
Debian Jessie comes with a Desktop sharing embeded.
To activate it go to Settings > Sharing > Screen Sharing
On the client side use vinagre.
Future of GNOME
Here you will find apps developed for Gnome that will make it even more comfortable to use: https://wiki.gnome.org/Design/Apps/