How to view exact version when cat /etc/*release* and uname -a doesn't show it
 

I'm running a distribution based on Debian.

I believe this distro is based on Debian 9, but where can I actually confirm this?


cat /etc/*rel*
DISTRIB_ID=Parrot
DISTRIB_RELEASE=3.1
DISTRIB_CODENAME=defcon
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Parrot Security 3.1 - Defcon"
PRETTY_NAME="Parrot GNU/Linux 3.1 Defcon"
NAME="Parrot GNU/Linux"
ID=parrot
VERSION_ID="3.1"
VERSION="3.1"
ID_LIKE=debian
ANSI_COLOR="1;31"
HOME_URL="http://www.parrotsec.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://www.parrotsec.org/doc/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://www.parrotsec.org/bugs"



#uname -a
Linux parrot 4.6.0-parrot-amd64 #1 SMP Parrot 4.6.3-1parrot1 (2016-07-15) x86_64 GNU/Linux




Is the version of Debian based on the kernel version?


Thanks

how about the documentation? https://www.parrotsec.org/features.fx

Asking a question about a pentesting distribution in this forum equates to slashing your wrists before plunging into a shark pool and expecting to survive.

Yes I had mentioned in my OP that I knew it was based on Debian 9, but in trying to learn more about Linux (hey, isn't this the newbie forum??) I thought I'd ask how I can confirm this within the OS itself.


Such a friendly group of people you are.

And everyone wonders why more people don't use Linux...


You people act all elitist in all the other Linux forums/categories (god forbid a "n00b" question is posted there) but when someone actually posts a question in the newbie forum this is what they get. Nice.

Point taken.

$ lsb_release -a

Where lsb is linux standard base. There's also a number of default MOTD's that might not have changed.

$ cat /etc/issue

The MOTD for telnet IIRC.

Thanks Shadow_7,

I guess in this distro they customized that, I only get the distro version when I check all the usual places and using the commands you suggested:


# lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Parrot
Description: Parrot Security 3.1 - Defcon
Release: 3.1



#cat /etc/issue
Parrot Security OS 3.1 \n \l

The OP's posts remind me of the easterners coming to the NW who expect things to be like they're used to. Witness the 'cliambers' who lose their lives on Mt Hood and Mt Rainier or in the woods after a slip and fall, among other things.

Since OP is running Debian, he should look into the award-winning script smxi and, especially, inxi .

Log in as root, and at prompt, inxi will be more than sufficient.

Suggestion: try a slackware forum on for size!

Why do you care ?.
Once something is "customised", it is no longer what it once was.

Well, it looks to me like you might need to take their word for it. You could check version numbers of certain debian tools available in Parrot OS against the standard debian testing/stretch archive, but that will be imperfect since stretch is a moving evolving target. It looks like Parrot snapshots the entire debian repo into its own Parrot repo.

So it might have started as debian 9, but now its Parrot OS

Got it dolphin_oracle, thank for the explanation.

As for why I might care, sometimes when installing something the docs might mention which distros and versions it's compatible or tested on, so that's one reason, plus I wanted to know if there was any other way to confirm this within the operation system since the usual commands I use to get this info weren't showing me this.


As for the others who responded to my question (without even explaining why my question was stupid or at least including an explanation in your reply) and compared it to slashing my wrists or dying trying to climb the highest mountain in the US - I really don't know why you are even answering posts in the Newbie area, you certainly aren't being helpful.

Strange people find help in the weirdest places.
Some of us are weird and it's beneath the surface!
As ex-drunks like me say, "Take what you need and leave the rest!"
Ciao!