what are the contents of these debian downloads
 

consider http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/6.0.4/amd64/bt-dvd/

what are the contents of these 8 dvd's? where is the documentation detailing, or at least describing, the contents? these are not trifling dl's -- they are at least 4.3GB each.

ditto query for the 2 update dvd's.

[i examined LQ's suggested "similar threads" -- nothing relevant]

they contain all 30,000 packages, you only need the netinstall cd , only need all of the DVDs if you do not have a internet connection

To find out exactly what is on each debian CD/DVD, you have to check the list.gz for the disc. Here is the list.gz for the current 6.0.4 DVD .isos-

http://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/...md64/list-dvd/

The 'update' DVDs are for people who have earlier versions of debian 6.0, and want to update offline.

As long as you will have an internet connection, you dont need more than DVD#1, and even CD#1 will do the same job.

*edit- I'm slow, as usual.

You probably wont need all the DVDs, even for offline use. So far I've never needed them, even when installing totally offline, about the highest disc number I recall being asked for is DVD #3.

To actually install all you need is CD number 1. Everything else is needed if you are taking them to a box that has no connection somewhere and want an up to date copy of the Debian repo.

CD1 will give you a fully functional install with the default packages that Debian uses on fresh installs.

A net install is nice too in that it just gives you a bootable system with no gui at all and you can install what you want from the prompt after you sign in. If you have not done this before it is good to have a list of packages you want to install.

You do have the option of a basic install also (I actually think this is the default option). I just generally have it quit with out doing that and install at the prompt.

Thanks.

but what do i do now: i am looking at (tens of ?)thousands of meaningless names ("eog_2.30.2-1_amd64.deb") ... if they were an obscure dialect of urdu, i would not know the difference.

how do i decide which of these "packages" (am i using the right word here?)i need -- or does this question not
make sense? i assume that some of these thousands are "dependents" (meaning that other of the packages depend on their being present)?

please read my next post .. how do i decipher -- give meaning to -- this list of cryptically-named "packages"?

Why do you think it is important to understand the function of all 30,000 Debian packages? :)

Read the Installation Manual. It is written in plain English (and several other languages) and tells you exactly what to do, step-by-step.

http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual

i hope that this next query is not considered another question, forcing me to open a new topic - i submit that it is related.

i will be installing Debian on VirtualBox https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads . i have failed with attempts to install other os's (slackware, by name), and was told that the reason is that its install as a VB guest can be significantly different from the same install on bare metal (something about VB, in some cases, requires that the .iso image be modified); further, that if a 64-bit version proves to be recalcitrant, then the 32-bit version will be more likely to succeed.

i have amd64 athlon II X2 .. the VirtualBox is 64-bit .. most other guests are 64-bit .. whereupon i ask, should i pursue Debian 64-bit, or will i more likely succeed with Debian 32-bit http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual ?

64bit should install just fine, if you have a working internet connection on the computer you plan on installing Debian then all you need it either CD#1 or the netinstall cd.

If you do not have an internet connection on the pc you might want to download the first 3 dvds. Packages on the various Debian DVDs is based on popularity.

Follow the info in the Install Guide and you should be trouble free.