In the dynamic realm of today’s technology world, where trends change faster than the blink of an eye, staying relevant for three decades is a feat achieved by a rare few.
Debian, the venerable and iconic open-source operating system, stands proudly among this elite group as it celebrates its 30th birthday.
Debian… ok, I know, Debian/GNU Linux is an operating system that emerged from the brilliance of a passionate software developer, Ian Murdock, on August 16th, 1993.
Today, 30 years later, it is no exaggeration to say that it is the most respected Linux distribution, deservedly so. In all that time, Debian has released 17 major and 123 minor releases, establishing itself as a bastion of predictability, security, and reliability.
Its most recent version, Debian 12 “Bookworm,” has only cemented this status, with the potential to become the best Linux release of 2023.
But what is most importantly, Debian never failed its users. It has become a measure of stability, a symbol of freedom and community strength, all in a niche dominated by corporate interests where financial statements are the only recognized measure of success.
Debian is like one of your best old buddies. Whether someone out there somewhere along the way has let you down, fallen short of your expectations, or even betrayed you, you know that you can always come back to that old friend who will welcome you with a warm hug, giving you much-needed reassurance and security to move forward.
We could go on and on about how wonderful it is, but that is not the point. All we want to do is express our heartfelt gratitude and respect to the countless Debian volunteers, without whom we would not be able to enjoy this fantastic operating system.
Thirty years of history and counting – only a few Linux distributions can boast this! And the brightest shining star among them is that of Debian. So, Happy Birthday, Debian! You are the inspiration for all of us; you are the best!
PS. And, of course, don’t forget to celebrate this historic anniversary by organizing or participating in Debian Day!
Happy birthday Debian, RIP Murdock