| Debian 4.0 finally arrives! |
Apr. 08, 2007
 At long last, the Debian project team released Debian GNU/Linux version 4.0 -- codename "Etch" -- on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007. The release follows "21 months of constant development," according to the team.
This anxiously-awaited update will benefit not only users of "Debian GNU/Linux," but also those of a rich assortment of Debian-derived distributions that utilize the project's Linux kernel and other software packages. According to the project's website, Debian forms the basis of over 30 Linux distributions, although more certainly exist. Among the more prominent of these are (alphabetically): Freespire/Linspire, MEPIS, Knoppix, Ubuntu, and Xandros.
Debian 4.0 supports 11 processor architectures and includes a choice of three major desktop environments: KDE, GNOME, and Xfce.
The distribution features "cryptographic software and compatibility with the FHS v2.3 and software developed for version 3.1 of the LSB," the team said in the release announcement. Additionally, "Using a now fully integrated installation process, [it] comes with out-of-the-box support for encrypted partitions."
"This release introduces a newly developed graphical frontend to the installation system supporting scripts using composed characters and complex languages," and its installation system has now been translated into 58 languages.
Major packages in the Debian 4.0 release, according to the team, include:- GNOME 2.14 desktop
- KDE 3.5.5a desktop
- Xfce 4.4 desktop
- GNUstep 5.2 desktop
- X.Org 7.1
- OpenOffice.org 2.0.4a
- GIMP 2.2.13
- Iceweasel (an unbranded version of Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.3)
- Icedove (an unbranded version of Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5)
- Iceape (an unbranded version of Mozilla Seamonkey 1.0.8)
- PostgreSQL 8.1.8
- MySQL 5.0.32
- GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) 4.1.1
- Linux kernel version 2.6.18
- Apache 2.2.3
- Samba 3.0.24
- Python 2.4.4 and 2.5
- Perl 5.8.8
- PHP 4.4.4 and 5.2.0
- Asterisk 1.2.13
... "and more than 18,000 other ready to use software packages."
"Also beginning with Debian GNU/Linux 4.0, the package management system has been improved regarding security and efficiency," the release announcement continued. "Secure APT allows the verification of the integrity of packages downloaded from a mirror. Updated package indices won't be downloaded in their entirety, but instead patched with smaller files containing only differences from earlier versions."
Debian 4.0 is available for free download from a large number of mirror sites. Bootable OS images can be written to DVD and CD optical discs, USB flash memory devices, and floppies, and a network install is also available. The default desktop environment is GNOME, but alternative CD images are now available for KDE and Xfce. Another new feature of Debian 4.0 is the availability of "multi-arch" CD and DVD images that enable installation of multiple architectures from a single disc.
Availability
To download your own free copy of Debian 4.0, visit the project's download site, decide what manner of download you prefer (http, ftp, "jigdo," or bit-torrent), pick a mirror site from which to download (e.g. this one), and select your preferred style of CD or DVD ISO image from among the choices provided.
The project team notes that upgrades from prior versions of Debian, such as version 3.1 (aka "Sarge"), "are automatically handled by the aptitude package management tool for most configurations, and to a certain degree also by the apt-get package management tool." The team says that "systems can be upgraded quite painlessly, in place, without any forced downtime," but "strongly" recommends users to read the release notes "for possible issues."
First look screenshots
DestopLinux executive editor Rick Lehrbaum did a quick install of Debian 4.0 on his trusty old spare Thinkpad, and produced these screenshots -- from the initial default KDE screen (top left) to his final configured desktop (bottom right). Click each to enlarge.
   
Additional perspective
Further perspective on the release of Debian 4.0 ("Etch") is available in these two columns by Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols on our sister site, Linux-Watch.com:
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