I've been using Linux (Ubuntu) for a couple of months now, and I want to try Debian to see how different it is.Well, I've already found a couple of differences..   The first one that Debian-Live means only-Live.  The second difference has stopped me in my tracks. There doesn't seem to be a specific .iso CD to download / install. I am confronted with a list of 31 CDs ...debian-506-i386-CD-1.iso-to-debian-506-i386-CD-31.isoWhat is this all about and which .iso do I need for a vanilla (32 bit) desktop install?
31 Debian CDs -- Why? and which do I need for a vanilla desktop install?
debian;system installation;distribution media
The Debian CD set contains all of the packages in the main repository.  Most of this software can easily be downloaded later.  According to the Debian wiki:Although there are over 30 CDs (or 5 DVDs) in a full set, only the first CD is required to install Debian. The additional CDs are optional and include extra packages, that can be downloaded individually during the installation, or later.Just installing CD-1 will limit what software you can install during the installation process, but after installing with the first CD, other software can be downloaded from the Debian repositories, just as with Ubuntu.