3 installation DVD's?!?

[henky]

A lot of people voted Debian in my poll, so I decided to try it.
When I go to my debian mirror there are 3 DVD'S!

File: MD5SUMS 1 KB 04/08/2007 12:31:00 AM
File: MD5SUMS.sign 1 KB 04/08/2007 02:17:00 AM
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File: debian-40r0-i386-DVD-1.iso 4588298 KB 04/07/2007 11:49:00 AM
File: debian-40r0-i386-DVD-2.iso 4571754 KB 04/07/2007 11:51:00 AM
File: debian-40r0-i386-DVD-3.iso 4463888 KB 04/07/2007 11:54:00 AM

Do I have to download all 3 of them?
or is for example DVD-3 the newest?
thanks!

[oz]

I've never used Debian on DVD, but most likely, you'll only need the first one to install a Debian system. The full Debian distribution comes with thousands of packages, so to get it all, you need lots of CDs, or DVDs.

Many folks, including myself, only do a netinstall of Debian. This allows you to install only the base system, then download only the extra packages you want to install. It's quick and easy.

[cellarboy]

I agree with ozar that a netinstall is the way to install. You need to consider a full install if you are going to install the same Debian on multiple computers. If you choose to use a full install you only need the first of either the CD or DVD to have a fully functional OS.

[mahlerfan]

Thought I would post the appropriate part of the Debian FAQ

http://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#which-cd

I'm going to disagree with netinstall is the way to go, what if you don't have a high speed network connection? And some will not appreciate doing an install to find no desktop environment. I think that the netinstall cd is appropriate for those that (a) have a fast internet connection and (b) know exactly what they want. And for those conditions, yes the netinstall is the way to go, but for all others the cd 1, kde, xfce cds or dvd 1 is the way to go.

[bryansmith]

CD 1 gives you a fully functional GNOME desktop - just to put it into perspective for you.

If you do have a fast connection, the netinstall is a fantastic way to go.

[TheBigPhish]

Thought I would post the appropriate part of the Debian FAQ

http://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#which-cd

I'm going to disagree with netinstall is the way to go, what if you don't have a high speed network connection? And some will not appreciate doing an install to find no desktop environment. I think that the netinstall cd is appropriate for those that (a) have a fast internet connection and (b) know exactly what they want. And for those conditions, yes the netinstall is the way to go, but for all others the cd 1, kde, xfce cds or dvd 1 is the way to go.

really? The only way i can agree with this 'logic' is if the person is going to be d/l'ing the .iso on someone elses bandwitdth and then installing it, because they do not have a fast connection...and they physically can't get the computer over to their connections (like a server install - not a laptop). Lets see, it takes 4.7 gigs to d/l a dvd .iso IIRC, and to d/l a fully running and loaded netinstall base install w/ Gnome, KDE 3.5, MySQL, Apache2, pHp5, and a variety of playtime packages typically runs me about 500 to 800 mb. If the person does not have a net install, what's the point of downloading 4.7 gigs just to NOT do it online, and pick what you want...If they download a net install .iso and race one of them off, they are still downloading 3 gigs less. Since the package files are stored locally, a repeat install of another system can include the repository files you already downloaded, saving ripping them down again...

please explain how a netinstall isn't the best option, if you have something else that i may have missed...

[mahlerfan]

I can't follow what you're trying to argue here, you're not making any sense, it's as if you're implicitly assuming that all users have a high speed internet connection at home.

People that can't do a net install have either

(a) a slow internet connection or
(b) no internet connection.

It's not as large a fraction as you might think that have high speed internet access at home. If you have high speed internet at home, then the netinstall iso is a good solution, but if you don't then you should either

(a) order cds/dvds from a store,
(b) have a friend download and burn isos for you,
(c) download and burn isos at work,
(d) use a download manager like kget or a torrent program like azureus at home to slowly grab the isos as you have time, when you or others at home do not need the bandwidth.

In all of these scenarios the netinstall iso is not the best solution.

[TheBigPhish]

Let me clarify (a lot)....

1) I can't really see how doing an install off an .iso is any less likely to give you a CLI based install, as opposed to a netinstall run. Selecting the "Desktop Environment" (which is the FIRST option on the Select Packages section of the netinstall program) gives you a nice (albiet stale Gnome & KDE install) which will work for 99% of the people. If you manage to run the netinstall CD, step thru the basic configuration it asks / helps you with, and do NOT select "Desktop Environment" task list....then you deserve that CLI interface you are stuck with until you apt-get an appropriate Xserver collection w/ interface. Does the CD/DVD ask you the same questions about that? Since i have never gone and done one, i can only assume it does...therefore it is no less likely to give you a CLI only interface. Maybe someone who has done both can enlighten me of such...

2) With regards to download times? It would take a person who is doing a netinstall of Debian, selecting the standard Desktop Environment in the package selection/task screen (figuring a download of 500 mb) approx 21 hours to let apt download all the relevant information / repositories to get their system up and running....off a 56k modem. I would hate to say that a person who is going to install Debian on to a new system can't spare a day to do that, even at 56k that time seems more than fair. Sure, their friend with the faster connection of a 512 ADSL can go and download a DVD .iso which would take approx 18 hrs...how much is really gained? The net install they do will give them a system that they want faster than if they were to go and run it off their friend's burned DVD! I am not even going to delve into the situation if that person wanted a "testing" system as opposed to a "sta(b)le" system to work with.
Download times are highly subjective. If it's a laptop...just take it somewhere where there is a faster internet connection and do it there. Would you ask your buddy if he can d'l and burn a bunch of DVD .isos for you at the cost of slowing his connection down for god-knows-how long
just to get your system going? If it was me, i would say "hey, lets watch the game and i'll bring the pizza and beer...and can i download something while we watch?". Social skills will help you there. If it's a physical install w/o a fast connection...then you are stuck with getting the information to it as it can take it, purchase DVD/CDs, have a laptop to get the requisite repositories, deal with a slow connection...it depends on what you have to work with.

3) download at work? Congradulations to you for having a job that lets you do that! I know many-an-employer who do not allow corporate infrastructure to be used to non-employer tasks...if yours allows you to, good for you. If your bosses are too ignorant, or are of the "i don't care who uses the internet connection, as long as i can access AOL mail so i can forward blindly to everyone in my address book this money making - nigerian bank scheme" variety, good for you. If your company provided laptop / desktop has a DVD burner with writing privleges enabled to your user-level account, good for you! Corporate america doesn't like their money going to anyplace other than their pockets.

4) use kget, etc.... - if that's what you need, then do it. If i had a second computer that i wanted to install debian on, and i decided to use my moderately speeded 128k ADSL & my primary computer to do such...why not just kick the second computer on with a netinstall disc and let it do it's thing in the backround? If i was using kget to download it, i would already be running a KDE desktop over an xserver anyways...

5) what if there is no highspeed internet to an entire area? Linux has sunk its teeth into places all over the world, and not all of them even have RELIABLE internet, let alone highspeed. Since bandwidth would be at a premium, and also at a price...why not download something that would give you the ability to ONLY download what you need, and not everything under the sun?

Most of your points revolve around the position that "high speed internet is not everywhere", and i wholly agree...but every rebuttal was "have someone else do it, take it from work, or kget-it-all in the backround" or some derivative...If you were paying per kB of transfer, would you want to pay for a 4.7 gig DVD iso, when a one time download of a 500 mb repository list would do? Maybe there is no friend in the area with highspeed? Would i risk my employment, benefits, 401k, retirement to steal my bosses bandwidth? Hell no.

If you have NO internet connection to use, and no possibility of bringing "The Mountain to Mohammed", then i would say yes...use another connection or Buy the CD/DVD...but if you have even a 56k connection or better, my vote still stands at the netinstall option...it is a more streamlined, and efficient option all around.

..and this was done over a 56k connection, as my less than reliable DSL is down again. I will be the first one to say that not everyone has highspeed internet, as i am guilty myself right now.

[jens]

A lot of people voted Debian in my poll, so I decided to try it.
When I go to my debian mirror there are 3 DVD'S!


Do I have to download all 3 of them?
or is for example DVD-3 the newest?
thanks!

Hi Henky
You just picked the best distro out there.
I'm obviously not really unbiased though.

Installation
If you have a working net connection, the net install is really your best choice.
The full CD and DVD collection is just for those who want all GNU software on discs without having to download anything.

Pick either the net-install disc or the first installation CD (everything else is just extra software)

Once your cd boots, type the following instead of just pressing the Enter key:

installgui

This will boot a nice Redhat looking GTK installer that will do almost everything for you.
All default options will work just fine.
Just do the install and you'll be greeted by a nice looking GNOME desktop.

non-free and contrib crap
Well... some of you probably do need it.
Type (as root, type su for this):

gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

add contrib and non-free at the end of your repos
Example:

deb http://http.us.debian.org/debian/ etch main contrib non-free
deb-src http://http.us.debian.org/debian/ etch main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib

You will also like the multimedia repo, add:

deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org etch main

in your sources list.
Next type:

apt-get update && apt-get install debian-multimedia-keyring

...to make the multimedia repo work with apt.

Install Mplayer (and Firefox plugin), DVD, codecs, Java, Flash and audacious(audio-player):

apt-get update && apt-get dist-upgrade && apt-get install ffmpeg mozplugger mplayer w32codecs libdvdcss2 sun-java5-jre flashplugin-nonfree audacious audacious-plugins

Some websites will need sun's (soon to become free) Java and not the already free one.
Just make a link:

ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/java-1.5.0-sun-1.5.0.10/jre/plugin/i386/ns7/libjavaplugin_oji.so ~/.mozilla/plugins/

Next just relax and enjoy your ultra cool Debian GNU/Linux system.

Have fun,
Jens.

[Monestri]

I have comcast cable. My direct downloads are usually around 350kb/s from most servers. Imagine how surprised I was when I downloaded the iso's from torrent off azurues and I was doing about 950kb/s. Got first one in about 70 minutes. Yay bittorent.