there is no single point/fact in your post about XBian/Debian, which is actually true - or the other way around, there is no way to be more wrong. I will be short:
1. XBian is not based on Debian, IT IS Debian system (Wheezy on RPI, Jessie on IMX6). Specifically, XBian is nothing more than Debian system, with additional installed programs.
The image is build this way
a) debian's network installer deploys minimal Debian system first
b) then XBian apt sources are added to it
c) apt packaging system is updated to read packages we provide for installing
2. apt system downloads ~10-15 deb packages (including XBMC, kernel package for specific device, graphic libraries - everything what Debian DOES NOT provide, or provide old/unsatisfactory version) from our public repository and installs it as ANY other supplements - like XServer, Office Package or any others
3. those (XBian) packages will during installation adapt the system where needed - to make it faster to start, 'lighter' to run and easier to maintain (for instance by own tools).
but the important part - it doesn't hack the system itself, nor software repository & dependencies. that means that XBian has no own config files, no own script/tools replacements. For each and every service/feature it is providing as part of XBMC experience - it uses native Debian tools, system's native config files, init system, libraries, etc.
it continues to be updated only by system itself, from own Debian servers. no single deviance to Debian standards or requirements.
thanks to this concept, the same way can XBian(it's packages) be installed to Raspbian, Ubuntu. But still - despite the fact of not having the luxury to rebuild (take over) the system as we would like - it boots as fast as OE, it's .img is no much bigger that it (30% hold actually linux documentation), and can be run from 750MB/1GB card,
there is nothing more than this two configuration files, telling Debians installer, what, and how should be deployed:
https://github.com/xbianonpi/xbia…mg/build/config
https://github.com/xbianonpi/xbia…ild/imx6/config
(that being for XBian on debian/jessie)
https://github.com/xbianonpi/xbia…6-trusty/config
(this one is for option Ubuntu/Trusty)
@'Cok3
in your openvpn case check what rights you need for openvpn (daemon) to run. XBMC on XBian runs properly under regular user account, without root rights - what you have experience (raspbmc, OE), never cared about that.
so maybe XBMC(openvpn addon) just don't have the rights.
regarding not provided KODI - again other way around - through XBian you can deploy XBMC you like - for RPI it is any XBMC starting v11, for IMX6 (v13 and up).
Reinstall XBMC is like reinstalling any other package, user task, 10 minutes - easy. To cover all possible option by creating an img for each - non-sense.
img for each platform is build with currently (considered as) STABLE version of package. and for XBMC/IMX6 it (at this time) Gotham. Place anything else instead is many things but service to user.
Providing default kernel 3.14.y dfor IMX6 oesn't prove we are not providing 3.10.y, 3.19.y too. We do not speak hear about natural limitations of monolithic images, with all or nothing compiled into one block.
@mad-max you should get know that before making for-sure statements (so next time you know).