The files in /etc are system wide files and are loaded first. Files in /home/[username] are personal preference files loaded for each users and are loaded second. If there are conflicts between files in /etc and files in the users home directory, the files in the users home directory override those in /etc.

There are three tools to install packages:

• dpkg - the older package installer that is being replaced by...
• apt - Advanced Package Tool and
• dselect - a menu driven package updating tool.

dpkg is the most primative and doesn't seem to be as robust as apt

apt is the fastest to use. This is how it works: apt-get [action] [package-name]

dselect is the easiest and probably to most robust. It is menu driven so that makes it easier.

setterm -blank 0 GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet consoleblank=0"

To stop the screen from going blank on a network monitor or any machine that needs to report on a on going basis:

On a single tty:

Permenantly:

• edit /etc/default/grub - this is a file
• add the parameter consoleblank=0 to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT= line

Should look something like this...

Then reboot the server.

W: Failed to fetch http://security.debian.org/dists/wheezy/updates/main/binary-amd64/Packages Something wicked happened resolving 'security.debian.org:http' (-11 - System error)

While doing an update you get this error...

Check your /etc/nsswitch.conf file. In the host list remove wins. apt doesn't like that.