Editing Debian (section)

== History ==
=== Debian version history ===
{{Main|Debian version history}}

Debian distribution codenames are based on the [[List of Toy Story characters|names of characters]] from the ''[[Toy Story (franchise)|Toy Story]]'' films. Debian's ''unstable'' trunk is named after [[List of Toy Story characters#Phillips family|Sid]], a character who regularly destroyed his toys.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Debian Releases - Codenames |url=https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases#Codenames |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930033254/https://wiki.debian.org/DebianReleases#Codenames |archive-date=September 30, 2017 |access-date=25 July 2017 |website=Debian Wiki}}</ref>

=== Founding (1993–1998) ===
First announced on August 16, 1993, Debian was founded by [[Ian Murdock]], who initially called the system "the Debian Linux Release".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-05-04 |title=Chapter 1 – Introduction – What is the Debian Project? |url=https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/intro.en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222010809/https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/ch-intro.en.html |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |access-date=2014-06-22 |website=A Brief History of Debian |publisher=Debian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite newsgroup |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.os.linux.development/Md3Modzg5TU/xty88y5OLaMJ |title=New release under development; suggestions requested |last=Murdock |first=Ian A. |date=1993-08-16 |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.development |message-id=CBusDD.MIK@unix.portal.com |author-link=Ian Murdock |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20110122130054/https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.os.linux.development/Md3Modzg5TU/xty88y5OLaMJ |archive-date=January 22, 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=2012-06-13}}</ref> The word "Debian" was formed as a [[portmanteau]] of the first names of himself and his then-girlfriend (later ex-wife) Debra Lynn.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nixon |first=Robin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=badSTnfeOoAC |title=Ubuntu: Up and Running |publisher=[[O'Reilly Media]] |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-596-80484-8 |page=3 |access-date=2014-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731133410/https://books.google.com/books?id=badSTnfeOoAC |archive-date=July 31, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Before Debian's release, the [[Softlanding Linux System]] (SLS) had been a popular Linux distribution and the basis for [[Slackware]].<ref name="grassroots">{{Cite web |last=Hillesley |first=Richard |date=2007-11-02 |title=Debian and the grass roots of Linux |url=http://www.itpro.co.uk/135084/debian-and-the-grass-roots-of-linux |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526030921/http://www.itpro.co.uk/135084/debian-and-the-grass-roots-of-linux |archive-date=May 26, 2014 |access-date=2014-05-25 |publisher=IT Pro}}</ref> Murdock was motivated to launch a new distribution by what he saw as poor maintenance and the prevalence of [[software bug|bugs]] in SLS.<ref name="Scheetz 1998">{{Cite book |last=Scheetz |first=Dale |title=The Debian Linux user's guide |publisher=Linux Press |year=1998 |isbn=0-9659575-1-9 |location=Penngrove, Calif |oclc=42689229}}</ref>

Debian 0.01, released on September 15, 1993, was the first of several internal releases.<ref name="ChangeLog">{{Cite web |title=ChangeLog |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/ChangeLog |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106042725/http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/ChangeLog |archive-date=January 6, 2017 |access-date=2016-08-18 |publisher=[[ibiblio]]}}</ref> Version 0.90 was the first public release,<ref name="ChangeLog" /> supported through mailing lists hosted at [[Pixar]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=1994-01-31 |title=Release-0.91 |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/debian-0.91/RELEASE-0.91 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133319/http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/debian-0.91/RELEASE-0.91 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=2014-07-03 |publisher=[[ibiblio]]}}</ref> The release included the Debian Linux Manifesto, outlining Murdock's view for the new [[operating system]]. In it he called for the creation of a distribution to be maintained "openly in the spirit of Linux and GNU."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murdock |first=Ian A. |author-link=Ian Murdock |date=1994-01-06 |title=The Debian Linux Manifesto |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/info/Manifesto |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924133321/http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/historic-linux/distributions/debian-0.91/info/Manifesto |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |access-date=2014-07-17 |publisher=[[ibiblio]]}}</ref>

The Debian project released the 0.9x versions in 1994 and 1995.<ref name="releases">{{Cite web |date=2013-05-04 |title=Chapter 3 – Debian Releases |url=http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/ch-releases.en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817004510/http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/ch-releases.en.html |archive-date=August 17, 2011 |access-date=2014-06-22 |website=A Brief History of Debian |publisher=Debian}}</ref> During this time it was sponsored by the [[Free Software Foundation]] for one year.<ref>{{Cite newsgroup |url=https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.os.linux.misc/A30TG4KRx4Y/WKi_Yx0iuTAJ |title=The FSF is no longer sponsoring Debian |last=Stallman |first=Richard |date=1996-04-28 |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.misc |message-id=gnusenet199604280427.AAA00388@delasyd.gnu.ai.mit.edu |author-link=Richard Stallman |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20110122130054/https://groups.google.com/forum/#!original/comp.os.linux.misc/A30TG4KRx4Y/WKi_Yx0iuTAJ |archive-date=January 22, 2011 |url-status=live |access-date=2014-08-22}}</ref> Ian Murdock delegated the base system, the core packages of Debian, to Bruce Perens, while Murdock focused on the management of the growing project.<ref name="Scheetz 1998" /> The first ports to non-[[IA-32]] architectures began in 1995, and Debian 1.1 was released in 1996.<ref name="history4">{{Cite web |date=2013-05-04 |title=Chapter 4 – A Detailed History |url=https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/ch-detailed.en.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221235707/https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/project-history/ch-detailed.en.html |archive-date=December 21, 2019 |access-date=2014-08-01 |website=A Brief History of Debian |publisher=Debian}}</ref> By that time and thanks to [[Ian Jackson (computer programmer)|Ian Jackson]], the dpkg package manager was already an essential part of Debian.{{sfn |Krafft |2005 |pp=31–32}}

In 1996, [[Bruce Perens]] assumed the project leadership. Perens was a controversial leader, regarded as authoritarian and strongly attached to Debian.{{sfn |Hertzog |2013 |p=9}} He drafted a [[social contract]] and edited suggestions from a month-long discussion into the Debian Social Contract and the Debian Free Software Guidelines.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Perens |first=Bruce |title=Debian's 'Social Contract' with the Free Software Community |mailing-list=debian-announce |date=1997-07-05 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-announce/1997/msg00017.html |access-date=2014-08-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060610070939/http://lists.debian.org/debian-announce/debian-announce-1997/msg00017.html |archive-date=June 10, 2006 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian |author-link=Bruce Perens}}</ref> After the FSF withdrew their sponsorship in the midst of the [[Free and open-source software|free software vs. open source debate]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=It's Time to Talk About Free Software Again |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/1999/02/msg01641.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716055445/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/1999/02/msg01641.html |archive-date=July 16, 2014 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Perens initiated the creation of the legal [[umbrella organization]] [[Software in the Public Interest]] instead of seeking renewed involvement with the FSF.<ref name="history4" /> He led the conversion of the project from the [[a.out]] to the [[Executable and Linkable Format|ELF]] executable format.<ref name="Scheetz 1998" /> He created the [[BusyBox]] program to make it possible to run a Debian installer from a single [[floppy disk]], and wrote a new installer.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Perens |first=Bruce |author-link=Bruce Perens |date=2000-11-01 |title=Building Tiny Linux Systems with Busybox–Part I |url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4335 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606231721/http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4335 |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |access-date=2014-06-05 |magazine=[[Linux Journal]]}}</ref> By the time Debian 1.2 was released, the project had grown to nearly two hundred volunteers.<ref name="Scheetz 1998" /> Perens left the project in 1998.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Perens |first=Bruce |title=I am leaving Debian |mailing-list=debian-user |date=1998-03-18 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/1998/03/msg01628.html |access-date=2014-06-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706171832/https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/1998/03/msg01628.html |archive-date=July 6, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian |author-link=Bruce Perens}}</ref>

Ian Jackson became the project leader in 1998.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Perens |first=Bruce |title=Ian Jackson is the next Debian Project Leader |mailing-list=debian-announce |date=1997-12-01 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-announce/1997/msg00037.html |access-date=2014-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909035450/https://lists.debian.org/debian-announce/1997/msg00037.html |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian |author-link=Bruce Perens}}</ref> Debian 2.0 introduced the second official port, [[Motorola 68000 family|m68k]].<ref name="releases" /> During this time the first port to a non-Linux kernel, [[Debian GNU/Hurd]], was started.<ref name="d1">{{Cite mailing list |last=Grobman |first=Igor |title=debian-hurd... is up! |mailing-list=debian-hurd |date=1998-07-14 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-hurd/1998/07/msg00000.html |access-date=2014-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018224515/https://lists.debian.org/debian-hurd/1998/07/msg00000.html |archive-date=October 18, 2018 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> On December 2, the first Debian Constitution was ratified.<ref name="constitution" />

=== Leader election (1999–2005) ===
From 1999, the project leader was elected yearly.<ref name="vote-info" /> The number of applicants was overwhelming and the project established the new member process.{{sfn |Coleman |2013 |p=141}}<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Akkerman |first=Wichert |title=New maintainer proposal |mailing-list=debian-project |date=1999-10-17 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-project/1999/10/msg00003.html |access-date=2014-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808050930/https://lists.debian.org/debian-project/1999/10/msg00003.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> The package manager front-end [[APT (software)|APT]] was deployed with Debian 2.1.<ref name="releases" /> The first Debian derivatives, namely [[Libranet]],<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Lohner |first=Nils |title=New Linux distribution brings Debian to the desktop. |mailing-list=debian-commercial |date=1999-11-09 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-commercial/1999/msg00006.html |access-date=2014-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909090826/https://lists.debian.org/debian-commercial/1999/msg00006.html |archive-date=September 9, 2015 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> [[Corel Linux]] and [[Stormix]]'s Storm Linux, were started in 1999.<ref name="history4" /> The 2.2 release in 2000 was dedicated to Joel Klecker, a developer who had recently died of [[Duchenne muscular dystrophy]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-08-15 |title=Debian GNU/Linux 2.2, the 'Joel "Espy" Klecker' release, is officially released |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2000/20000815 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629101301/http://www.debian.org/News/2000/20000815 |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |access-date=2011-07-27 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

In late 2000, the project reorganized the archive with new package "pools" and created the ''Testing'' trunk, made up of packages considered stable, to reduce the freeze for the next release.<ref name="history4" /> In the same year, developers began holding an annual conference called [[DebConf]] with talks and workshops for developers and technical users.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Laronde |first=Thierry |title=First Debian Conference : the program |mailing-list=debian-devel-announce |date=2000-05-15 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2000/05/msg00006.html |access-date=2014-08-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225144425/http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2000/05/msg00006.html |archive-date=December 25, 2013 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> In May 2001, [[Hewlett-Packard]] announced plans to base its Linux development on Debian.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lemos |first=Robert |date=2001-05-10 |title=HP settles on Debian Linux |url=http://news.cnet.com/HP-settles-on-Debian-Linux/2100-1001_3-257405.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819204105/http://news.cnet.com/HP-settles-on-Debian-Linux/2100-1001_3-257405.html |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-19 |website=[[CNET|CNET News]]}}</ref>

In July 2002, the project released version 3.0, code-named Woody, the first release to include cryptographic software, a free-licensed KDE and [[Internationalization and localization|internationalization]].{{sfn |Krafft |2005 |p=33}} During these last release cycles, the Debian project drew considerable criticism from the free software community because of the long time between stable releases.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lettice |first=John |date=2002-07-23 |title=Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 released |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/07/23/debian_gnu_linux/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703122451/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2002/07/23/debian_gnu_linux/ |archive-date=July 3, 2017 |access-date=2014-08-19 |website=[[The Register]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=LeMay |first=Renai |date=2005-03-18 |title=Debian leaders: Faster release cycle required |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/debian-leaders-faster-release-cycle-required/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808053504/http://www.zdnet.com/debian-leaders-faster-release-cycle-required-1139185097/ |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |access-date=2014-08-03 |work=[[ZDNet]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-04-20 |title=Ubuntu vs. Debian, reprise |url=http://ianmurdock.com/debian/ubuntu-vs-debian-reprise/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819164015/http://ianmurdock.com/debian/ubuntu-vs-debian-reprise/ |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |access-date=2014-06-05 |publisher=[[Ian Murdock]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Some events disturbed the project while the Sarge release was in preparation, as Debian servers were attacked by fire and hackers.<ref name="history4" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Orlowski |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Orlowski |date=2003-12-02 |title=Hackers used unpatched server to breach Debian |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/12/02/hackers_used_unpatched_server/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703125104/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/12/02/hackers_used_unpatched_server/ |archive-date=July 3, 2017 |access-date=2014-08-03 |website=[[The Register]]}}</ref> One of the most memorable was the Vancouver prospectus.{{sfn |Coleman |2013 |pp=150–156}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Orlowski |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Orlowski |date=2005-03-14 |title=Debian drops mainframe, Sparc development |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/14/debian_reduced/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703150116/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/14/debian_reduced/ |archive-date=July 3, 2017 |access-date=2014-08-03 |website=[[The Register]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Verhelst |first=Wouter |title=Results of the meeting in Helsinki about the Vancouver proposal |mailing-list=debian-devel-announce |date=2005-08-21 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/08/msg00009.html |access-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808051225/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/08/msg00009.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> After a meeting held in [[Vancouver]], release manager Steve Langasek announced a plan to reduce the number of supported ports to four in order to shorten future release cycles.<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Langasek |first=Steve |title=Bits (Nybbles?) from the Vancouver release team meeting |mailing-list=debian-devel-announce |date=2005-03-14 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/03/msg00012.html |access-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808051223/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/03/msg00012.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> There was a large reaction because the proposal looked more like a decision and because such a drop would damage Debian's aim to be "the universal operating system".{{sfn |Coleman |2013 |pp=153–154}}<ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Jarno |first=Aurélien |title=Re: Bits (Nybbles?) from the Vancouver release team meeting |mailing-list=debian-devel |date=2005-03-14 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/03/msg00712.html |access-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808051316/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/03/msg00712.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Blache |first=Julien |title=Re: Bits (Nybbles?) from the Vancouver release team meeting |mailing-list=debian-devel |date=2005-03-14 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/03/msg00761.html |access-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808051319/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/03/msg00761.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

The first version of the Debian-based [[Ubuntu]] distribution, named "4.10 Warty Warthog", was released on October 20, 2004.<ref name="wartyRelease">{{Cite mailing list |last=Shuttleworth |first=Mark |title=Ubuntu 4.10 announcement |mailing-list=ubuntu-announce |date=20 October 2004 |url=https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-announce/2004-October/000003.html |access-date=19 August 2008 |author-link=Mark Shuttleworth}}</ref> Because it was distributed as a free download, it became one of the most popular and successful operating systems with more than "40 million users" according to [[Canonical (company)|Canonical Ltd.]]<ref name="Michael Kerner">{{Cite web |last=Kerner |first=Sean Michael |date=7 April 2010 |title=Ubuntu Claims 12 Million Users as Lucid Linux Desktop Nears |url=http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reports/7032/1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410164921/http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/reports/7032/1 |archive-date=10 April 2010 |access-date=7 April 2010 |website=LinuxPlanet.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Ubuntu Insights |url=https://insights.ubuntu.com/about/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906185403/http://insights.ubuntu.com/about/ |archive-date=6 September 2015 |website=Insights.Ubuntu.com |publisher=Canonical Ltd}}</ref> However, Murdock was critical of the differences between Ubuntu packages and Debian, stating that it led to incompatibilities.<ref name="forking">{{Cite web |last=Murdock |first=Ian |date=20 April 2005 |title=Ubuntu vs. Debian, reprise |url=http://ianmurdock.com/debian/ubuntu-vs-debian-reprise/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819164015/http://ianmurdock.com/debian/ubuntu-vs-debian-reprise/ |archive-date=19 August 2014 |access-date=21 October 2007}}</ref>

===Sarge and later releases (2005–present)===
[[File:Debian Etch-ja.png|thumb|250px|Debian 4 (Etch), 2007]]
The 3.1 [[List of Toy Story characters#Sarge and the Bucket O Soldiers|Sarge]] release was made in June 2005. This release updated 73% of the software and included over 9,000 new packages. A new installer with a modular design, [[Debian-Installer]], allowed installations with [[RAID]], [[XFS]] and [[Logical Volume Manager (Linux)|LVM]] support, improved hardware detection, made installations easier for novice users, and was translated into almost forty languages. An installation manual and release notes were in ten and fifteen languages respectively. The efforts of Skolelinux, [[Debian-Med]] and Debian-Accessibility raised the number of packages that were educational or had a medical affiliation, and of packages made for people with disabilities.<ref name="history4" /><ref name="sargenew">{{Cite web |date=2006-09-18 |title=Chapter 2 – What's new in Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 |url=http://www.debian.org/releases/sarge/i386/release-notes/ch-whats-new.en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100519033125/http://www.debian.org//releases/sarge/i386/release-notes/ch-whats-new.en.html |archive-date=May 19, 2010 |access-date=2010-08-05 |website=Release Notes for Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 (`sarge'), Intel x86 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

[[File:Iceweasel icon.svg|thumb|64px|left|[[Iceweasel]] logo]]
In 2006, as a result of a much-publicized dispute, [[Debian–Mozilla trademark dispute|Mozilla software was rebranded in Debian]]. The Mozilla Corporation stated that software with unapproved modifications could not be distributed under the Firefox trademark. Two reasons that Debian had modified the Firefox software were to replace non-free artwork and to provide security patches.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hoover |first=Lisa |date=2006-10-10 |title=Behind the Debian and Mozilla dispute over use of Firefox |url=http://archive09.linux.com/feature/57675 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120606110117/http://archive09.linux.com/feature/57675 |archive-date=June 6, 2012 |access-date=2009-02-09 |publisher=[[Linux.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite mailing list |last=Sanchez |first=Roberto C. |title=Re: Will IceWeasel be based on a fork or on vanilla FireFox? |mailing-list=debian-devel |date=2006-10-15 |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2006/10/msg00665.html |access-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808051725/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2006/10/msg00665.html |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |url-status=live |publisher=Debian}}</ref> Consequently, Debian contained a fork of [[Firefox]] named Iceweasel and one of [[Mozilla Thunderbird|Thunderbird]] named Icedove. In February 2016, it was announced that Mozilla and Debian had reached an agreement and Iceweasel would revert to the name Firefox; a similar agreement was anticipated for Icedove/Thunderbird.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hoffman |first=Chris |date=2016-02-24 |title='Iceweasel' will be renamed 'Firefox' as relations between Debian and Mozilla thaw |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/3036509/linux/iceweasel-will-be-renamed-firefox-as-relations-between-debian-and-mozilla-thaw.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329150932/http://www.pcworld.com/article/3036509/linux/iceweasel-will-be-renamed-firefox-as-relations-between-debian-and-mozilla-thaw.html |archive-date=March 29, 2016 |access-date=2016-03-27 |magazine=PC World}}</ref>

A fund-raising experiment, Dunc-Tank, was created to solve the release cycle problem and release managers were paid to work full-time;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-09-19 |title=Press Information |url=http://www.dunc-tank.org/press.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010082200/http://www.dunc-tank.org/press.html |archive-date=2006-10-10 |access-date=2014-08-24 |publisher=Dunc-Tank}}</ref> in response, unpaid developers slowed down their work and the release was delayed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vaughan-Nichols |first=Steven J. |date=2006-12-18 |title=Disgruntled Debian Developers Delay Etch |url=http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Disgruntled-Debian-Developers-Delay-Etch/ |access-date=2014-08-24 |publisher=[[eWeek]]}}</ref>

Debian 4.0 ([[List of Toy Story characters#Etch|Etch]]) was released in April 2007, featuring the x86-64 port and a graphical installer.<ref name="releases" />

Debian 5.0 ([[List of Toy Story characters#Lenny|Lenny]]) was released in February 2009, supporting Marvell's [[Orion (system-on-a-chip)|Orion]] platform and netbooks such as the [[Asus Eee PC]].<ref name="lenny released">{{Cite web |date=2009-02-14 |title=Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 released |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2009/20090214.en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217184902/http://www.debian.org/News/2009/20090214.en.html |archive-date=February 17, 2009 |access-date=2009-02-15 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> The release was dedicated to Thiemo Seufer, a developer who died in a car crash.<ref name="thiemo">{{Cite web |date=2009-02-14 |title=Appendix C. Lenny dedicated to Thiemo Seufer |url=http://www.debian.org/releases/lenny/i386/release-notes/apc.en.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706171546/https://www.debian.org/releases/lenny/i386/release-notes/apc.en.html |archive-date=July 6, 2014 |access-date=2014-05-25 |website=Release Notes for Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 (lenny), Intel x86 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

[[File:Debian 6.0.2.1.png|thumb|250px|Debian 6 (Squeeze), 2011]]

In July 2009, the policy of time-based development freezes on a two-year cycle was announced. Time-based freezes are intended to blend the predictability of time based releases with Debian's policy of feature-based releases, and to reduce overall freeze time.<ref name="two-year-cycle" /> The Squeeze cycle was going to be especially short; however, this initial schedule was abandoned.<ref name="two-year-cycle-2">{{Cite web |date=2009-07-30 |title=Debian GNU/Linux 6.0 'Squeeze' release goals |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2009/20090730 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303024424/http://www.debian.org/News/2009/20090730 |archive-date=March 3, 2011 |access-date=2009-12-01 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> In September 2010, the [[backporting|backports]] service became official, providing more recent versions of some software for the stable release.<ref name="news-backports-official" />

Debian 6.0 (Squeeze) was released in February 2011, featuring Debian GNU/kFreeBSD as a technology preview, along with adding a dependency-based boot system, and moving problematic firmware to the non-free section.<ref name="squeeze released" />

Debian 7 (Wheezy) was released in May 2013, featuring multiarch support.<ref name="news-wheezy-released">{{Cite web |date=2013-05-04 |title=Debian 7.0 'Wheezy' released |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2013/20130504 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222015735/http://www.debian.org/News/2013/20130504 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |access-date=2013-05-05 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

Debian 8 (Jessie) was released in April 2015, using [[systemd]] as the new init system.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-04-25 |title=Debian 8 'Jessie' Released |url=http://www.debian.org/News/2015/20150426 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618152940/https://www.debian.org/News/2015/20150426 |archive-date=June 18, 2017 |access-date=2015-10-27 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

Debian 9 (Stretch) was released in June 2017, with nftables as a replacement for iptables, support for Flatpak apps, and MariaDB as the replacement for MySQL.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-17 |title=Debian 9.0 'Stretch' released |url=https://www.debian.org/News/2017/20170617 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618145125/https://www.debian.org/News/2017/20170617 |archive-date=June 18, 2017 |access-date=2017-06-25 |publisher=Debian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-05-26 |title=Debian 9's release date |url=https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=showheadline&story=3474 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711185352/https://distrowatch.com/dwres.php?resource=showheadline&story=3474 |archive-date=July 11, 2018 |access-date=July 11, 2018 |website=DistroWatch}}</ref>

Debian 10 (Buster) was released in July 2019, adding support for [[Secure Boot]] and enabling [[AppArmor]] by default.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-06 |title=Debian 10.0 'buster' released |url=https://www.debian.org/News/2019/20190706 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707133037/https://www.debian.org/News/2019/20190706 |archive-date=July 7, 2019 |access-date=2019-07-30 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

Debian 11 (Bullseye) was released in August 2021, enabling persistency in the system journal, adding support for driverless scanning, and containing kernel-level support for [[exFAT]] filesystems.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-14 |title=Debian 11 'bullseye' released |url=https://www.debian.org/News/2021/20210814 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814215010/https://www.debian.org/News/2021/20210814 |archive-date=14 August 2021 |access-date=2021-08-14 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

Debian 12 (Bookworm) was released on June 10, 2023, including various improvements and features, increasing the supported Linux Kernel to version 6.1, and leveraging new "Emerald" artwork.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-10 |title=Debian 12 'bookworm' released |url=https://www.debian.org/News/2023/20230610 |access-date=2023-06-10 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> Debian 12 also was the first version under a revised Debian Social Contract that includes non-free firmware in its installation media by default, if and when the installer detects that it is needed for installed hardware to function, such as with Wi-Fi cards.<ref name="Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems" /><ref name="General Resolution: non-free firmware: results" />

Debian 13 has been announced to have the code name Trixie.<ref>{{Cite web |title=bits from the release team: are you ready to skate yet? |url=https://www.debian.org/releases/trixie/releasenotes |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Debian.org}}</ref>

Debian 14 has been announced to have the code name Forky.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Evenden |first=Ian |date=2022-10-13 |title=Debian 14 To Be Named 'Forky', Won't Arrive Until 2027 |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/news/debian-14-forky |access-date=2025-04-15 |publisher=[[Tom's Hardware]]}}</ref>

Debian 15 has been announced to have the code name Duke.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Borisov |first=Bobby |date=2025-01-24 |title=Debian 13 Freeze Begins in March, Debian 15 Codename Revealed |url=https://linuxiac.com/debian-13-freeze-begins-in-march-debian-15-codename-revealed/ |access-date=2025-04-25 |publisher=Linuxiac}}</ref>

Debian is under continuous development and new packages are uploaded to ''unstable'' every day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unstable packages' upgrade announcements |url=https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-changes/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606223947/https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-changes/ |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |access-date=2014-11-19 |publisher=Debian}}</ref>

Debian used to be released as a very large set of CDs for each architecture, but with the release of Debian 9 (Stretch) in 2017, many of the images have been dropped from the archive but remain buildable via [[jigdo]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chapter 2. What's new in Debian 9 |url=https://www.debian.org/releases/stretch/amd64/release-notes/ch-whats-new.html#cd |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308083937/https://www.debian.org/releases/stretch/amd64/release-notes/ch-whats-new.html#cd |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |access-date=2020-07-02 |website=www.debian.org}}</ref>

Throughout Debian's lifetime, both the Debian distribution and its website have won various awards from different organizations,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Awards |url=http://www.debian.org/misc/awards |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120020604/http://www.debian.org/misc/awards |archive-date=November 20, 2008 |access-date=2008-11-02 |publisher=Debian}}</ref> including ''Server Distribution of the Year'' 2011,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-02-09 |title=2011 LinuxQuestions.org Members Choice Award Winners |url=http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-news-59/2011-linuxquestions-org-members-choiceright-award-winners-928502/#post4598195 |access-date=2014-06-06 |publisher=[[LinuxQuestions.org]]}}</ref> ''The best Linux distro of 2011'',<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-08-04 |title=The best Linux distro of 2011! |url=http://www.tuxradar.com/content/best-distro-2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606232606/http://www.tuxradar.com/content/best-distro-2011 |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |access-date=2014-06-06 |publisher=[[TuxRadar]]}}</ref> and a ''Best of the Net'' award for October 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1999-05-04 |title=Best of the Net Awards, October 1998 – Focus On Linux |url=http://linux.miningco.com/library/awards/bloct98.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990504092128/http://linux.miningco.com/library/awards/bloct98.htm |archive-date=1999-05-04 |access-date=2014-06-06 |publisher=[[The Mining Company]]}}</ref>

On December 2, 2015, [[Microsoft]] announced that they would offer Debian GNU/Linux as an endorsed distribution on the [[Microsoft Azure|Azure]] cloud platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zarkos |first=Stephen |date=2015-12-02 |title=Announcing availability of Debian GNU/Linux as an endorsed distribution in Azure Marketplace |url=https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/debian-images-now-available-on-azure/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304193636/https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/debian-images-now-available-on-azure/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=2016-04-10 |publisher=Microsoft Azure}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhartiya |first=Swapnil |date=2015-12-02 |title=Microsoft brings Debian GNU/Linux to Azure cloud |url=http://www.cio.com/article/3011419/operating-systems/microsoft-brings-debian-gnu-linux-to-azure-cloud.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423122511/http://www.cio.com/article/3011419/operating-systems/microsoft-brings-debian-gnu-linux-to-azure-cloud.html |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |access-date=2016-04-10 |website=CIO |publisher=IDG Enterprise}}</ref> Microsoft has also added a user environment to their [[Windows 10]] desktop operating system called [[Windows Subsystem for Linux]] that offers a Debian subset.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hesse |first=Brendan |date=September 11, 2018 |title=How to Get Started With the Windows Subsystem for Linux |url=https://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-started-with-the-windows-subsystem-for-linux-1828952698 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200702205842/https://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-started-with-the-windows-subsystem-for-linux-1828952698 |archive-date=July 2, 2020 |access-date=2020-07-02 |website=Lifehacker}}</ref>