SprezzOS and Debian

(This document is consciously modeled on "Ubuntu for Debian Developers".)

SprezzOS is proud to be based on Debian, and wants to maintain a healthy and collaborative relationship with Debian developers.

How does SprezzOS differ from Debian?

• The SprezzOS Project, despite being composed exclusively of free software, is a commercial effort. It exists at the pleasure and in the interests of the Sprezzatura Computing Corporation ("Sprezzatech").
• The SprezzOS Project has adopted neither the Debian Free Software Guidelines nor the Debian Social Contract (of which they are a part).
• The SprezzOS installer broadly diverges from the Debian installer (from which it is forked).
• ZFS is used as a default filesystem and volume manager.
• Mainline kernel security mechanisms are favored over userspace solutions and esoterica.
  • In particular, SELinux and TCP wrappers are not supported. The former almost certainly introduces security problems (atop the complexity it definitely introduces). The latter are better implemented using iptables.
• The kernel is likely to be more closely tracked in SprezzOS.
• Maximal support of modern hardware is favored over broader support of older hardware.

What kind of changes does SprezzOS make to Debian packages?

This is in no way, and does not attempt to be, a comprehensive list of differences.

d-i and udebs

• Branding is modified in rootskel, main-menu, installer, and netcfg
• A few helper binaries related to the console (fbvfbterm, tangoize, etc.) are added to rootskel
• The i386 images are not built by default
• The gtk installer is not built by default
• Some configuration changes are effected via our initramfs-embedded preseed

Install media

• GRUB2 is used as our bootloader on all media

Kernel

• No firmware is removed for reasons of DGSF incompatibility
• ReiserFS is removed for reasons of project-leader-in-prison incompatibility

Userspace

• Branding is modified in base-files
• Packages are built with a SprezzOS suffix prior to the Debian revision number

What can I do if I feel SprezzOS has acted inappropriately?

Please contact the sprezzos-dev mailing list.

How does SprezzOS cooperate with Debian?

• SprezzOS is an active member of the Debian Derivatives Census
• Bugs common to SprezzOS and Debian are filed in the DBTS

Resources

• The SprezzOS entry in the Debian Derivatives Census.

Contact

The SprezzOS project in toto can be reached at the sprezzos-dev mailing list.

The SprezzOS Project Leader (currently Nick Black) can be reached at spl@sprezzatech.com.

See also

• Debian and SprezzOS, the inverse of this article