I am trying to figure out how to make a sources.list file (for apt-get) manually. I know how to properly enter a site along with specifying subdirectories ... etc. I start out with a simple Debian 3.0 “woody” installation with just about nothing on it. I want to end up with a system that is as on the absolute bleeding edge as can possibly be attained using apt-get (I do realize that the latest of the latest of the bleeding edged greatest is better obtained from package author’s sites, etc … but I still want to have things done automatically for me with apt-get). I realize that I can simply use Debian’s and/or a few of the mirrors, set the sites to unstable and that will get me everything in Debian’s unstable “sid” directories, however, these directories do not contain packages that can be obtained by inputting sites from apt-get.org. For example, the Debian mirrors only have the X-windows 4.2.x … and not 4.3. If the 4.3 version of X-windows hasn’t made it into the unstable directories, it makes me wonder what else hasn’t made it. 4.3 is quite a few months old now, after all. This is NOT bleeding edge! I NEED the bleeding edge! I am crazy like that! I wanna get cut! I love living on the cutting edge, especially on the bleeding edge, even on the absolute razor-sharp edge of the friggin’ precipice about to … >Ack!< *cough* *cough* ->wheeze<- … Sorry. I am much better now. I will always have a Debian mirror or two entered into the sources.list file, but is there perhaps a tool that can be used to **at least semi-automatically** scour some database out there and then update (or change) the sources.list file so that it always points to the latest packages? Since I know that apt-get uses something of a "latest version number wins" type of pick and choose convention, I tried copying ALL the sites over from apt-get.org. However, once I got the lines entered with the proper syntax (took a while, as not all sites are properly entered) and ran <apt-get update>, I was greeted with lots of “Hit”(yay!), “Ign”(???) and “Err”(damn) entries having to do with not finding files/sites/dirs/etc. The infernal machine then complained about the “Dynamic MMap running out of room” and how “The package lists or status file could not be parsed or opened.” I guess one cannot enter hundreds of sites into the sources.list file and expect everything to work fine? Maybe that is a limitation with the woody release and it is all hunky dory and works great with the latest release? I will try that ... Also, what do the “Ign” entries mean when <apt-get update> is running through the sources.list file? I figure “Hit” means it found the file/site/whatever and “Err” means it wasn’t there, etc. But what about “Ign?” Does it mean “Ignore?” if so, what is it ignoring exactly? Why? I have heard it said that apt-get is a “back end” to the apt … whatever. Is there a nice front-end program I can use to handle all apt-get functions for me? I have seen “dselect” mentioned in the apt-get man pages, and I am going to try it, but I know that there are other front-ends also. What ones are the best? GUI or command line is all the same to me. It is my understanding that apt-get does not automatically remove unneeded files left behind or orphaned because of an upgrade, and that a good front-end will handle this. Apt-get simply installs/uninstalls programs and updates files, correct? Yes, I am new to Debian (and Linux for that matter) but please, no advice on pinning, or the caveats of having a system that is too bleeding edge ... Just Don't … bad things will happen ... Patrick

Synaptic is the graphical front end to apt-get. What is happing is you probably have to many sources with the same packages listed this throws apt-get a curve ball. If you want bleeding edge keep an eye on freshmeat and complile from source is your best bet. I use RedHat 9 and apt-get and most of my packages are way ahead of what redhat puts out. I tried Debian but I was unable to get X configured with the GeForce 4 . So I put Slackware 9 on that box.Slack 9.1 will go on it soon. I mostly compile from source on that box as a lot of what I need is not packaged for Slack Good Luck Ron