After a long wait, we finally have the first version of Devuan available, a Debian-based operating system, which has been created by users unhappy with the Debian project, especially due to the inclusion of systemd.
Dev 1.0 has had a very expensive and long development, since many things have had to be done practically from scratch to get a stable and functional Debian without systemd. This version is the first stable version and therefore the first version actually prepared to work in development environments.
The reason for the revulsion for systemd by the creators of Devuan it is because they did not want to change the way they work or organize the system. For this reason, they rebelled already in 2014 and began to develop this operating system, which is finally ready.
Devuan it has been created mainly to be handled in server operating systems, so it has focused more on offering maximum stability, than on offering too much novelty. Devuan is based on Debian 8 Jessie and promises to continue support even when Jessie is no longer officially supported.
The chosen desktop is Xfce 4.1, the kernel version 3.16.43 and the main internet browser Mozilla Firefox 45.9. In addition, LibreOffice 4.3.3 has been included, which is unfortunately going to be out of support soon. The good thing is that we can update the applications manually to the version we want, so there will be no problems.
The operating system it is compatible with all kinds of devices, both 32-bit and 64-bit. It is also compatible with architectures such as ARM, something that makes it compatible with the Raspberry Pi. The operating system is ideal for those who have been stuck in Debian 7 because they do not agree with the Debian 8 changes. Now you will have a Debian 8 without systemd.
To download it, you have to do it from your official website, a page where you can also donate for the project. For our part, we will continue to analyze it very closely.
http://qgqlochekone.blogspot.com/2017/07/debian-vs-devuan-complete-guide-to.html
They return tracking 90% of the Debian package, only change / touch those related to systemd, and added some newer ones like vdev and alternative to udev .. but it is not the same case of other distributions, the hint due to almost all packages, except systemd related. .
Two main technical differences: the init system, which gives Devuan more performance; And the modernity of the launch cycle, always behind; The rest is just copy / proxy of Debian packages.
In conclusion Devuan are more like Debian in the old days. You must know what you are doing. Good for those who like performance .. but fails on support or solid as a project.