Quote Originally Posted by GATORbyte80
Thanks for all of the input. I am still set in my ways, that even though Knoppix is not Debian, which I know - it is Debian based, has the same file system structure, uses programs from the Debian repository without problem, compiles the same, is still GNU, and uses Apt. Therefore, it IS Debian.
Actually, the bold part above is where just one of the problems is, but it is a serious problem. Knoppix does not use the same Debian repository. The reason is that not all Debian uses the same repository, There are diferent repositories for Stable, Testing and Unstable. Debian isn't doing this to increase their storage needs or to make things harder for someone who already had stable CDs and wants to install the newer testing; they do it because there are changes to both the OS and the packages over time and they must be properly matched. If Debian can't use just one repository without causing serious problems, then why would you think that Knoppix can?

Knoppix isn't made from one version of Debian. It is made from a mix of the different versions. Klaus takes from the stable version when he wants, perhap for stability or for a smaller size program. But he also takes from unstable and testing when he wants newer code or if something in stable isn't working correctly. He carefully tests that everything works together, which, although a long and painful process, he can do because he is dealing with a limited and known set of programs. But it is well known that installing another program with the apt system may bring in newer packages and cause this carefully built house of cards to come crashing down, as will a simple apt-get update. Knoppix isn't Debian, is is based on Debian, but it is different and it is not Debian.

Let me ask one very serious question that I really don't understand the answer to: If you would like Debian, why do you not install Debian? Have you even tried to install Debian testing, which installs extremely cleanly? Sure, when Knoppix first came out the Debian installer (and most if not all other Linux installers) was complex and technical to use. Some people settled for "installing" Knoppix in spite of the problems because they didn't want to do a complex technical Linux install. Lots of people said things like "If Knoppix can do the hardware detection for me, why can't Debian?" Well, the developers listened and learned. Debian testing installs extremenly cleanly. So why do people still insist on pretending that a Knoppix install is almost as good as a real Debian install?