Remote upgrade using aptitude:

1. echo “defscrollback 10000” >>/root/.screenrc
2. screen
3. /etc/sysctl.conf:
   # on kernel panic reboot after 60s
kernel.panic = 600
# enable magic sysrq key
kernel.sysrq=1</pre>
4. In /etc/apt/sources.list: change old to new dist (or “stable” etc)
   ( if needed: apt-get install debian-archive-keyring )
5. aptitude update
6. aptitude safe-upgrade
   ( optionally/if needed: full-upgrade, dist-upgrade )

Change default editor:

sudo update-alternatives --config editor

Install build tools:

apt-get install build-essential

pkg install dates:

for file_list in `ls -rt /var/lib/dpkg/info/*.list`; do \
  stat_result=$(stat --format=%y "$file_list"); \
  printf "%-50s %s\n" $(basename $file_list .list) "$stat_result"; \
done

backports:
apt-get -t stretch-backports install “package”

aptitude -t stretch-backports install “package”
/etc/apt/preferences:
Package: *
Pin: release a=stable
Pin-Priority: 900

Package: *
Pin: release o=Debian
Pin-Priority: -10

“testing” packages:
install a pkg from testing:

sudo apt-get -t testing install tmux

show all testing pkgs:

aptitude search -F "%p %V %v" '?narrow(~i, ~Atesting)

( stable, unstable, oldstable, etc )
apt-get install package=version