I did a quick try and #vmdb2, my Debian virtual machine image builder, can still install Ubuntu, instead of Debian. I don't really have a use for that, but if someone wanted to pay me for a support contract, I would be willing to discuss it.

If you're worried about Hashicorp possibly making their Packer tool not be open source any more, and would like to hedge your bets, maybe consider vmdb2?

@idnorton I've never used Packer, but I made #vmdb2 for making #Debian images. (Origally vmdebootstrap in 2011, but rewritten and renamded since.)

https://vmdb2.liw.fi/

@algernon I've toyed with the idea of adding #NixOS support to #vmdb2, but it seems it's not needed (anymore). 😀

I have just tagged #release 0.28 of #vmdb2, my tool to build virtual machine images with Debian on them.

Release notes in the link below.

https://gitlab.com/larswirzenius/vmdb2/-/blob/main/NEWS

The home page, such as it is:
https://vmdb2.liw.fi/

(I don't do web design. I can just about make an ugly static web site with #ikiwiki.)

I have made a release of version 0.27 of #vmdb2, my Debian image building tool.

https://gitlab.com/larswirzenius/vmdb2/-/tags/vmdb2-0.27

I have made a release of version 0.27 of #vmdb2, my Debian image building tool.

https://gitlab.com/larswirzenius/vmdb2/-/tags/vmdb2-0.27

New release 0.26 of #vmdb2, my Debian disk image building tool. Bug fix to the Ansible plugin's handling of temporary files.

https://gitlab.com/larswirzenius/vmdb2/-/tags/vmdb2-0.26

Made release 0.25 of #vmdb2, my tool for installing Debian in a disk image.

https://gitlab.com/larswirzenius/vmdb2/-/blob/main/NEWS

From the "not enough time for everything" dept:

I'm putting #vmdb2 into a "selfish maintenance mode". I'll maintain the software to the extent I need it, but won't be spending time to develop new features or debug problems I don’t see myself. I will review patches, however, so if you want vmdb2 to improve, make a change and submit it for review.

For those few who care, I created a copy of the #vmdb2 git repo on GitLab.com. vmdb2 is my tool for creating disk images with Debian installed.

https://gitlab.com/larswirzenius/vmdb2