stable or test version?
 

I want to use Debian for my desktop and laptop. What is best choose for me, Test version or Stable version?
Is there a lot of bug in test version like fedora?
And what version is best for using with a lot of software? I heard that It's very difficult to install some app in stable version (for example the last version of gcc need lot of per-installed pkgs and it's confusing)

If you need to ask, Stable is the right version for you... Add the backports repo if you really must have the latest, but that in itself introduces a (admittedly small) risk to stability...

Stable if you want Stability. Testing if you are willing to work through a small number of problems, file bug reports, and help with development of the next Stable release.

If you're willing to fix problems or reinstall when something goes wrong then you could always use Sid. You will get the most up to date Debian packages but things may well break but I have found it more stable than the warnings would have you believe, so far...

Someone that call Fedora buggy is not going to be happy with Sid especially when they have never used a Debian based system before. The OP would be better served with Stable at first then if he finds to tame then upgrade to testing. Plus it doesn't sound like siaswar has the much experience with Linux.

If you have to ask any of the questions in this thread, you definitely do not want to run testing or sid.

Go with Stable.

DebianUnstable - Debian Wiki - http://wiki.debian.org/DebianUnstable

Debian -- Debian Releases - http://www.debian.org/releases/

You could be split the difference and run stable on one computer and testing on the other.

The key is, do you wish to deal with weird?

I'm running Slackware-Current on two machines. Sometimes weird stuff happens; it generally clears up with the next update, but weird still happens.

For example, on one computer, after an update, the screen went blank during the boot process at the point when the resolution changed from 600x800 to a higher resolution. When the harddrive light stopped blinking, I could still login and startx and, from then on, everything was fine. After the next update, the problem disappeared. This did not happen on the other computer.

If you are willing to deal with weird, go with testing and don't panic when something breaks. Otherwise, otherwise.

SalineOS.Stable and already tweaked so you don't have to.

Excellent point! http://www.salineos.com/

The latest is 1.6 and is 99.99% Debian with just a few scripts to get all the drivers installed that you need.

Or Solusos, its based on Debian stable. atm it is #2 on distrowatch.

It very well could be a top of the line Distro but I have never used it. Being #2 on Distrowatch mean nothing to me as the the developers may just have a good marketing plan. I've used SalineOS and can say with confidence it works right out of the box.

Minor word of warning
 

You can mix the Debian distribution. My current setup is testing/unstable, as I have a few unstable packages. However, do NOT mix Stable/Testing or Stable/Unstable, lest you are headed for some frustration.

I one mixed a Stable/Testing/Unstable setup once, and then created a mess of conflicts that took some time to resolve. If I remember correctly, the problem package was aptitude... but the resolution really was a P.I.T.A. until I resolved it.

For the record, I would suggest with Stable, and when you feel that you are ready for it, then move over to Testing.

By the way, Downgrading from Testing to Stable isn't hard at all, so if you to eventually try Testing and am having difficulty, you can downgrade back to Stable without re-installing it.

Yes, I love Debian!

I forgot to point out that the reason I mentioned Unstable, and the reason I use it, is that when using Testing I found some packages missing entirely which were in both Stable (as an old version) and Unstable. I don't know how often this happens and I don't recall the packages unfortunately but it was enough for me to make a move to Unstable.
Has anyone else noticed this, or is it just me?

Yes you are right about missing packages in Testing. Why that happens is beyond me but it does and it's one of the reasons I don't recommend Testing to new Linux users.

Personally I have never come across missing packages when using Debian Testing - and I use it all the time now. Agree with whats been said, if you're a new Linux or Debian user then use Debian Squeeze. If you have some experience then go with Wheezy/Sid.

It's rare but it does happen but mostly with 3rd party programs like Virtualbox needing a file in the Debian repositories and Debian removing it for some reason. If you don't use 3rd party software then you will never see the problem.

OK, I must be lucky as I run quite a bit of third-party stuff myself :)

Take libssl0.9.8, Virtualbox needs that library and won't install unless you have it or can be downloaded from Debian. Debian has it in Stable and Sid but not Wheezy. Sid also has libssl1.0.0 in the repositories so What is Debian planing to do.


Edit: Wheezy has libssl1.0.0 as May/14/2012

Nothing drastic - as usual ...

Hmmm, im running VirtualBox on amd64 platform and never had that...

Edit: If i run aptitude show virtualbox I get that too but it still install and runs fine for me.

In Debian FAQ they explain why this happen, you could read it in here, in section 3.1.5 it explains in detail why this happen.

Yes, and me too, that's the point of posting it.
It depends on libssl1.0.0 (>= 1.0.0), which is available (now at least, if it wasn't before I didn't notice).
In theory the vbox package should not get updated until it's dependencies are available.
In practice, for any number of reasons, this can happen from time to time.

This is why it is important to read and understand the output when upgrading things.

Actually that section does not describe what I was referring to.
I was referring to applications being completely missing in Testing. I think I know why it happens, but it still means that Testing is often the least "useable" of the three, at least if you want to use one of the missing applications.
Now I wish I'd taken note of the names...

Here's on example of Testing not having a needed package:
Package virtuoso-minimal

squeeze (stable) (database): high-performance database - core dependency package
6.1.2+dfsg1-1: all
sid (unstable) (database): high-performance database - core dependency package
6.1.3+dfsg1-2.1: all

or the netbase/ifupdown fiasco which resulted in being unable to install Testing the past couple of days.

if you lurk in the #debian irc channels at least once a day someone can't find a package in Wheezy, but it will be in stable and sid. The closer to freeze the more packages get removed.

I have ran sid for eight years and I know what I am doing, but i would never touch Testing.

Quite possibly but, are you going to sit there checking every package that needs to be updated?

I have 23 packages awaiting upgrade and I trust Debian to upgrade without any issues (usually - nothings perfect).

As for Stable/Testing/Unstable, the Debian FAQ author does state,

If Testing is that bad then someone should file a bug report to fix the information in these pages,

http://www.debian.org/releases/testing/

http://www.debian.org/releases/sid/

fglrx was removed from testing. muahahaha

Stable or sid are the way to go.

Haha, who needs ATI...

Testing is not that bad, but as with unstable, users need to be prepared to fix problems and that may involve pulling in packages from unstable to resolve such an issue.

You can ad Compiz to the list of missing in testing. Stable and Sid both have it but not Testing. The reason is a critical bug popped up after migrating to Testing so they removed it. Even Experimental is having major problems with Compiz.