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[ <a href="#contents">Contents</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">3</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">4</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">11</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15</a> ]
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The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ
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<h2><a name="abstract"></a>Abstract</h2>
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This document answers questions frequently asked about Debian GNU/Linux.
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<h2><a name="copyright"></a>Copyright Notice</h2>
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Copyright © 1996-2005 by Software in the Public Interest
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Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document
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provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this document
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under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire resulting
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derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to
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Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this document into
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another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that
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this permission notice may be included in translations approved by the Free
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Software Foundation instead of in the original English.
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<h2><a name="contents"></a>Contents</h2>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1 Definitions and overview</a>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisfaq">1.1 What is this FAQ?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisdebian">1.2 What is Debian GNU/Linux?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-linux">1.3 OK, now I know what Debian is... what is Linux?!</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-non-linux">1.4 Does Debian just do GNU/Linux?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-difference">1.5 What is the difference between Debian GNU/Linux and other Linux distributions? Why should I choose Debian over some other distribution?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-gnu">1.6 How does the Debian project fit in or compare with the Free Software Foundation's GNU project?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-pronunciation">1.7 How does one pronounce Debian and what does this word mean?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html">2 Getting and installing Debian GNU/Linux</a>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-version">2.1 What is the latest version of Debian?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-updatestable">2.2 Are there package upgrades in `stable'?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-boot-floppies">2.3 Where/how can I get the Debian installation disks?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdrom">2.4 How do I install the Debian from CD-ROMs?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdimage-symlinks">2.5 Why does the official stable released CD-ROM contain symlinks for `frozen' and `unstable'? I thought this CD contains just `stable'!</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdimages">2.6 I have my own CD-writer, are there CD images available somewhere?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-floppy">2.7 Can I install it from a pile of floppy disks?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-getting.en.html#s-remoteinstall">2.8 Can I get and install Debian directly from a remote Internet site?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html">3 Compatibility issues</a>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-arches">3.1 On what hardware architectures/systems does Debian GNU/Linux run?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherdistribs">3.2 How compatible is Debian with other distributions of Linux?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherunices">3.3 How source code compatible is Debian with other Unix systems?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherpackages">3.4 Can I use Debian packages (".deb" files) on my Red Hat/Slackware/... Linux system? Can I use Red Hat packages (".rpm" files) on my Debian GNU/Linux system?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-libc5">3.5 Is Debian able to run my old libc5 programs?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-libc5-compile">3.6 Can Debian be used to compile libc5 programs?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-non-debian-programs">3.7 How should I install a non-Debian program?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-termcap">3.8 Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-accelx">3.9 Why can't I install AccelX?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-compat.en.html#s-motifnls">3.10 Why do my old XFree 2.1 Motif applications crash?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html">4 Software available in the Debian system</a>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-apps">4.1 What types of applications and development software are available for Debian GNU/Linux?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-softwareauthors">4.2 Who wrote all that software?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-pkglist">4.3 How can I get a current list of programs that have been packaged for Debian?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-missing">4.4 What is missing from Debian GNU/Linux?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-no-devs">4.5 Why do I get "ld: cannot find -lfoo" messages when compiling programs? Why aren't there any libfoo.so files in Debian library packages?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-java">4.6 (How) Does Debian support Java?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-isitdebian">4.7 How can I check that I am using a Debian system, and what version is it?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonenglish">4.8 How does Debian support non-English languages?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-usexports">4.9 What about the US export regulation limitations?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-pine">4.10 Where is pine?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-software.en.html#s-qmail">4.11 Where is qmail/ezmlm/djbdns?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5 The Debian FTP archives</a>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dirtree">5.1 What are all those directories at the Debian FTP archives?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dists">5.2 How many Debian distributions are there in the <samp>dists</samp> directory?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-codenames">5.3 What are all those names like slink, potato, etc.?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-oldcodenames">5.3.1 Which other codenames have been used in the past?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sourceforcodenames">5.3.2 Where do these codenames come from?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sid">5.4 What about "sid"?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-stable">5.5 What does the stable directory contain?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-testing">5.6 What does the testing directory contain?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-frozen">5.6.1 What about "testing"? How is it `frozen'?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-unstable">5.7 What does the unstable directory contain?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-archsections">5.8 What are all those directories inside <samp>dists/stable/main</samp>?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-source">5.9 Where is the source code?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-pools">5.10 What's in the <samp>pool</samp> directory?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-incoming">5.11 What is "incoming"?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-ownrepository">5.12 How do I set up my own apt-able repository?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6 Basics of the Debian package management system</a>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-package">6.1 What is a Debian package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-deb-format">6.2 What is the format of a Debian binary package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgname">6.3 Why are Debian package file names so long?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-controlfile">6.4 What is a Debian control file?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-conffile">6.5 What is a Debian conffile?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-maintscripts">6.6 What is a Debian preinst, postinst, prerm, and postrm script?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-priority">6.7 What is an <em>Essential</em> <em>Required</em>, <em>Important</em>, <em>Standard</em>, <em>Optional</em>, or <em>Extra</em> package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-virtual">6.8 What is a Virtual Package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-depends">6.9 What is meant by saying that a package <em>Depends</em>, <em>Recommends</em>, <em>Suggests</em>, <em>Conflicts</em>, <em>Replaces</em> or <em>Provides</em> another package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pre-depends">6.10 What is meant by Pre-Depends?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgstatus">6.11 What is meant by <em>unknown</em>, <em>install</em>, <em>remove</em> <em>purge</em> and <em>hold</em> in the package status?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-puttingonhold">6.12 How do I put a package on hold?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcepkgs">6.13 How do I install a source package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcebuild">6.14 How do I build binary packages from a source package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-creatingdebs">6.15 How do I create Debian packages myself?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7 The Debian package management tools</a>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-pkgprogs">7.1 What programs does Debian provide for managing its packages?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg">7.1.1 dpkg</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-apt-get">7.1.2 APT</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude">7.1.3 aptitude</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dselect">7.1.4 dselect</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-extra">7.1.5 Other package management tools</a>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-updaterunning">7.2 Debian claims to be able to update a running program; how is this accomplished?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-whatpackages">7.3 How can I tell what packages are already installed on a Debian system?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-filesearch">7.4 How can I find out what package produced a particular file?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-datapackages">7.5 Why doesn't get `foo-data' removed when I uninstall `foo'? How do I make sure old unused library-packages get purged?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8 Keeping your Debian system up-to-date</a>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-libc5to6upgrade">8.1 How can I upgrade my Debian 1.3.1 (or earlier) distribution, based on libc5, to 2.0 (or later), based on libc6?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-howtocurrent">8.2 How can I keep my Debian system current?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptitude-upgrade">8.2.1 aptitude</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-apt">8.2.2 apt-get, dselect and apt-cdrom</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-dpkg-ftp">8.2.3 dpkg-ftp</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-mirror">8.2.4 mirror</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-dpkg-mountable">8.2.5 dpkg-mountable</a>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-upgradesingle">8.3 Must I go into single user mode in order to upgrade a package?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-savedebs">8.4 Do I have to keep all those .deb archive files on my disk?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-keepingalog">8.5 How can I keep a log of the packages I added to the system? I'd like to know when which package upgrades and removals have occured!</a>
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<li><a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9 Debian and the kernel</a>
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<li><a href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-non-debian-kernel">9.1 Can I install and compile a kernel without some Debian-specific tweaking?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-customkernel">9.2 What tools does Debian provide to build custom kernels?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-custombootdisk">9.3 How can I make a custom boot floppy?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-modules">9.4 What special provisions does Debian provide to deal with modules?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-removeoldkernel">9.5 Can I safely de-install an old kernel package, and if so, how?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10 Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux</a>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-papersize">10.1 How can I ensure that all programs use the same paper size?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-hardwareaccess">10.2 How can I provide access to hardware peripherals, without compromising security?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-consolefont">10.3 How do I load a console font on startup the Debian way?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-appdefaults">10.4 How can I configure an X11 program's application defaults?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-booting">10.5 Every distribution seems to have a different boot-up method. Tell me about Debian's.</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-custombootscripts">10.6 It looks as if Debian does not use <samp>rc.local</samp> to customize the boot process; what facilities are provided?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-interconffiles">10.7 How does the package management system deal with packages that contain configuration files for other packages?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-divert">10.8 How do I override a file installed by a package, so that a different version can be used instead?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-localpackages">10.9 How can I have my locally-built package included in the list of available packages that the package management system knows about?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-diverse">10.10 Some users like mawk, others like gawk; some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does Debian support diversity?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html">11 Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux</a>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs">11.1 What other documentation exists on and for a Debian system?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s-onlineresources">11.2 Are there any on-line resources for discussing Debian?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s11.2.1">11.2.1 Mailing lists</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s11.2.2">11.2.2 Maintainers</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s11.2.3">11.2.3 Usenet newsgroups</a>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s-searchtools">11.3 Is there a quick way to search for information on Debian GNU/Linux?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s-buglogs">11.4 Are there logs of known bugs?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-support.en.html#s-bugreport">11.5 How do I report a bug in Debian?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12 Contributing to the Debian Project</a>
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<li><a href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contrib">12.1 How can I become a Debian software developer?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contribresources">12.2 How can I contribute resources to the Debian project?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-supportingorganizations">12.3 How can I contribute financially to the Debian project?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-SPI">12.3.1 Software in the Public Interest</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-FSF">12.3.2 Free Software Foundation</a>
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<li><a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13 Redistributing Debian GNU/Linux in a commercial product</a>
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<li><a href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-sellcds">13.1 Can I make and sell Debian CDs?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-packagednonfree">13.2 Can Debian be packaged with non-free software?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-childistro">13.3 I am making a special Linux distribution for a "vertical market". Can I use Debian GNU/Linux for the guts of a Linux system and add my own applications on top of it?</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-commercialdebs">13.4 Can I put my commercial program in a Debian "package" so that it installs effortlessly on any Debian system?</a>
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<li><a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14 Changes expected in the next major release of Debian</a>
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<li><a href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-security">14.1 Increased security</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-i18n">14.2 Extended support for non-English users</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morearches">14.3 More architectures</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morekernels">14.4 More kernels</a>
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<li><a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15 General information about the FAQ</a>
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<li><a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">15.1 Authors</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-feedback">15.2 Feedback</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-latest">15.3 Availability</a></li>
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<li><a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-docformat">15.4 Document format</a></li>
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[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">previous</a> ]
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[ <a href="#contents">Contents</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-compat.en.html">3</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">4</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">11</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14</a> ]
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[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15</a> ]
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The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ
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version 3.1.5, 17 January 2007<br>
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Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br>
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