Debian – On Debian Testing: How to get a recent Iceweasel Release (non-ESR) version without updating to Unstable

aptdebianfirefoxiceweaselupgrade

I'm on Debian Jessie / testing. It currently has Iceweasel 17, but I would rather like to use a more recent release (Mozilla "Release" or "Firefox" 'channel' – currently Iceweasel 25).

http://mozilla.debian.net/ recommends:

You need to add the following entry in /etc/apt/sources.list or a new file in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/:

deb http://cdn.debian.net/debian unstable main

You can install it with the following commands:

   $ apt-get update
   $ apt-get install -t unstable iceweasel

That would at least give me Iceweasel 24, but then next time I run apt-get dist-upgrade I would update to Debian unstable and I don't want to do that. I only want a newer version of Iceweasel (latest version blessed "stable" by Mozilla, not ESR).

So I could remove the unstable repository after installing Iceweasel, but then I wouldn't get security updates anymore and would have to manually stay on top of the latest security updates, and each time there is a security update I would have to:

  • re-add the unstable repository
  • upgrade iceweasel
  • remove unstable repository.

That can't doesn't seem like it should be done like that? Seems inefficient and tedious.

I could also install the unbranded "real" Firefox directly from Mozilla but then I also would have to manually update which is equally inconvenient.

Seems like I'm looking for an apt repository maintaining Firefox or Iceweasel for Debian Jessie / testing? Does that exist? Other ideas?

Best Answer

You can use /etc/apt/preferences to specify which versions you want on a per-package basis.

To have the latest iceweasel version, use (at your own risk) the following configuration files:

/etc/apt/preferences

Package: iceweasel
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 1000

Package: *
Pin: release a=testing
Pin-Priority: 500

Package: *
Pin: release a=unstable
Pin-Priority: 400

Package: *
Pin: release a=experimental
Pin-Priority: 300

/etc/apt/source.list

deb http://http.debian.net/debian testing         main contrib non-free
deb http://security.debian.org/   testing/updates main
deb http://http.debian.net/debian unstable        main contrib non-free
deb http://http.debian.net/debian experimental    main contrib

But beware the the apt_preferences(5) manpage warns

Packages included in a specific release aren't tested in (and therefore don't always work as expected in) older or newer releases, or together with other packages from different releases. You have been warned.

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