Chris's Wiki :: blog/linux/DebianLegend
Officially, Debian is a widely used Linux distribution that meets people's needs with stability, lots of software and years of security releases. The Debian community has lots of developers and will tell you that it's just the right thing if you're tired of living on Red Hat's bleeding edge.
Unfortunately, that's a legend. The truth is somewhat different, as I have found out by actually running a server using Debian's 'Woody' release.
By the time it was replaced with a long-delayed new release this June, Woody was antiquated, long overdue for a replacement and full of obsolete and orphaned software (including the kernel). The failure to get a new release out had become a long-running sore spot (and somewhat of a joke) inside the Debian developer community.
If you griped about obsolete software versions to almost any serious Debian user, their likely advice was to in effect not actually run Woody: they would suggest updating to Debian 'testing'. Testing isn't a release; it's a usually working rolling snapshot of what Debian developers are working on. Naturally, testing comes without many of the promises Debian makes about its regular releases, like security updates.
