Debian Squeeze: KFreeBSD, Dash and Automatic Debug Packages
The Debian project is planning a whole series of enhancements for Debian 5.0 "Squeeze." A few results of the currently running Google Summer of Code are beginning to creep into it.
The next Debian will provide the GNU/kFreeBSD installer as an option for the OS core and will thereby support the first ever non-Linux architecture. The Debian Almquist Shell (dash) will become the standard shell that should, among other things, help with faster bootups. Debian Squeeze will also provide full IPv6 support and time-saving, automatic debug packages. Further goals are to avoid software corpses in the form of outdated libraries and strive for higher package quality by rejecting packages that don't pass the required checks. More of the Squeeze goals are described in Debian's release news.
A few of the new project ideas emerged from this year's Google Summer of Code, where at least nine Squeeze features will be developed or enhanced. One of the selected projects is working on automatic debug packages. Another student and mentor are applying themselves to supporting the kFreeBSD installer.
Squeeze will likely appear in the first half of 2010. Its feature freeze was planned for December, according to a recently revamped Debian release policy. However, protests caused the Debian team to reconsider the policy once again. September is the new target for announcing a new timeline to bring in the next Ice Age.
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