(Text version)

Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 r5 "Etch" - Official i386 BC Binary-1 20081024-15:52

| Debian home page Intro About This Disc Installing Last-Minute Notes Using CDs/DVDs with apt CD/DVD Manufacturers More Information Browse This Disc `` |  |  | Welcome to the exciting world of Debian GNU/Linux! ## Intro This is one disc in a set containing the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Debian is a very extensive collection of software. But it is more. It is a complete Operating System (OS) for your computer. And it is free (as in "freedom"). An operating system is the set of basic programs and utilities that make your computer run. At the core of an operating system is the kernel. The kernel is the most fundamental program on the computer, which does all the basic housekeeping and lets you start other programs. Debian is kernel independent. It currently uses the Linux kernel but work is in progress to provide Debian for other kernels, using the Hurd. Most of the basic operating system tools come from the GNU project; hence the name GNU/Linux. Debian is available for various kinds of computers ("architectures"), like "IBM-compatible" PCs (i386), Compaq's Alpha, Sun's Sparc, Motorola/IBM's PowerPC, and (Strong)ARM processors. Check the ports page for more information. Read more... ## About This Disc This disc is labeled `Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 r5 "Etch" - Official i386 BC Binary-1 20081024-15:52` which means that this disc is number 1 of a set of 1 discs. The packages on this disc contain programs ("binaries") for 'ARCH' computers. The packages on the Binary discs are ordered by popularity. The Binary-1 disc contains the most popular programs and the installation tools; it is possible to install and run Debian with only the Binary-1 disc. It is unlikely that you will need all of the 1 discs in the set. The higher the number in the set, the less likely it is that you will use any of the packages on that disc; higher-number images contain mostly special-interest programs. The Release Notes for "etch" are available on the Debian web site. ## Installing Because Debian is a complete Operating System, the installation procedure may seem a bit unusual. You can install Debian GNU/Linux either alongside your current OS, or as the only OS on your computer. An Installation Guide for this disc is available from the Debian web site. Programs and other files that are needed for the installation can be found on this disc under `/tools/` and `/install/floppy/` For the impatient ones: you can start the installation program easily by booting off this disc. Note that not all (esp. older) systems support this. You can examine the `/install` directory; you might be able to start the installation system directly from there. ## Last-Minute Notes This is an official release of the Debian system. Please report any bugs you find in the Debian Bug Tracking System; details at bugs.debian.org. If you're reporting bugs against this disc or the installation system, please also mention the version of this disc; this can be found in the file /.disk/info. ## Using Apt After installing or upgrading, Debian's packaging system can use CDs, DVDs, local collections, or networked servers (FTP, HTTP) to automatically install software from (`.deb` packages). This is done preferably with the 'apt' and 'aptitude' programs. You can install packages from the commandline using `aptitude`. For example, if you want to install the packages 'commprog' and 'maxgame', you can give the command `aptitude install commprog maxgame` Note that you don't have to enter the complete path, or the '`.deb`' extension. 'Apt' will figure this out itself. Or use aptitude for a full screen interactive selection of available Debian packages. ## CD/DVD Manufacturers You are completely free to manufacture and re-distribute CDs/DVDs of the Debian GNU/Linux Operating System, like this one. There is no charge from us (but of course donations are always welcome). For all needed information and contact addresses, please refer to `http://www.debian.org/CD/` ## More Information There is much more information present on this disc. Besides the already mentioned installation and upgrading procedures, this is the most interesting: Debian FAQ The Debian Constitution The Debian Manifesto Debian's Social Contract Bug reporting instructions Also on the Internet are many resources. To name a few: The Debian homepage Debian Documentation Debian User Support The Linux Documentation Project General Linux homepage See the Debian contact page for information on contacting us.