| Debian Sid-based distro reviewed |
Oct. 09, 2008
 "Sidux" is a fairly new Linux distribution based on Debian's "unstable" branch, which is perpetually code-named "Sid." An early review suggests Sidux might have the ingredients to make the very newest versions of open source software available for wider testing and use.
I have long suspected that a majority of Debian users actually use Sid. Despite its name, the "unstable" tree works fine on the desktop.
Ironically, Debian is sometimes criticized for slow release cycles. Yet, the packages in Sid track upstream releases very closely. Typically, the tree offers software versions contemporaneous with any other available Linux distribution, at any time. Want to run the software in the next version of [insert favorite distro here], before it is released? Give Sid a try. Instead of downloading software by the DVD-ful, and digesting big coordinated releases, you can surf a steady stream of in-place upgrades on a daily basis.
During my own decade of Debian use, when doing a fresh install, I inevitably try out stable or (when frozen) testing, since those are usually the only trees with installers. However, it's never long before I read about some new application I'm dying to try... and it depends on newer versions of things. Then, it's time to edit /etc/apt/sources.list and apt-get upgrade; apt-get dist-upgrade to sid once more.
I suspect it's the same for most Debian users, and that there are a lot of Sid users out there. But there could be even more, if Sid were a little less... unstable.
So, am I saying there's a downside to running Sid? Well, yes.
Sometimes, given the large daily software pushes, stuff breaks. When that happens, you typically have to wade into /var/cache/apt/archives and manually dpkg -i previous versions of things before your system is usable again. This can be tricky, and time-consuming, but is actually kind of a fun, since you may learn advanced dpkg techniques, and it's thrilling to recover a broken system. But, you have to be judicious about timing your upgrades, so that you have a bit of time should it be needed to put things right. And, you're well-advised to query the bots on the #debian irc channel to learn in advance about anything that's giving people trouble.
But what if there were a utility that sat in your system tray, advising you in advance about any issues with Sid's most freshly added packages? Such a gizmo might go a long way toward making Sid more stable for more users. Now, according to Linux.com reviewer Susan Linton, it exists.
According to Linton, Sidux includes an interesting "Hermes Upgrade Sentinel" tray icon that aims to warn users of potential problems. She writes, "Hermes Upgrade Sentinel is a system tray app that monitors the News section at Sidux.com to warn you of any showstoppers with the dist-upgrade packages. If a warning is detected, it will display a red 'stoplight.' It can also brief you on regular news postings, list other package advice from Sidux, and update packages."
It really is marvelous to watch Debian and open source software keep getting better and better and better. Even if it does not work perfectly -- and it well-might -- the idea alone is brilliant, in my opinion. It could help more people use newer software, accelerating the pace of open source innovation even faster.
To learn more about Hermes and Sidux in general, find Linton's nicely done review here.
-- Henry Kingman
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