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[2.100.171.17]) by smtp.gmail.com with ESMTPSA id 5b1f17b1804b1-48371a21cbesm48681425e9.5.2026.02.13.21.52.54 for (version=TLS1_3 cipher=TLS_AES_128_GCM_SHA256 bits=128/128); Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:52:54 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <9f78266c-1024-499b-a54d-9aed62615623@gmail.com> Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2026 05:52:54 +0000 List-Id: User questions List-Archive: https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-questions List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: List-Unsubscribe: X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Sender: owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org MIME-Version: 1.0 User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Subject: Re: Trying to understand base system packages To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org References: <20251205122830.cb88058f193987b47a95a77c@gmail.com> <20251205134510.6fae5caf@dorfdsl.de> <20251205143119.441cc1bd8722345d074a4480@gmail.com> <16e766b9-f442-4cef-a991-c940f6b8182a@gmail.com> <20251207081139.7e2f65b97b4c089ac0add431@gmail.com> <20251210203319.c248921c4e6aca9ba07458ae@gmail.com> From: Graham Perrin Content-Language: en-GB Autocrypt: addr=grahamperrin@gmail.com; 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charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Spamd-Result: default: False [-3.99 / 15.00]; NEURAL_HAM_LONG(-1.00)[-1.000]; NEURAL_HAM_MEDIUM(-1.00)[-1.000]; NEURAL_HAM_SHORT(-0.99)[-0.987]; DMARC_POLICY_ALLOW(-0.50)[gmail.com,none]; R_SPF_ALLOW(-0.20)[+ip6:2a00:1450:4000::/36:c]; R_DKIM_ALLOW(-0.20)[gmail.com:s=20230601]; MIME_GOOD(-0.10)[text/plain]; RCVD_TLS_LAST(0.00)[]; TO_MATCH_ENVRCPT_ALL(0.00)[]; FROM_HAS_DN(0.00)[]; RCPT_COUNT_ONE(0.00)[1]; MIME_TRACE(0.00)[0:+]; ARC_NA(0.00)[]; FREEMAIL_ENVFROM(0.00)[gmail.com]; FREEMAIL_FROM(0.00)[gmail.com]; DKIM_TRACE(0.00)[gmail.com:+]; FREEFALL_USER(0.00)[grahamperrin]; ASN(0.00)[asn:15169, ipnet:2a00:1450::/32, country:US]; TO_DN_NONE(0.00)[]; RCVD_COUNT_TWO(0.00)[2]; FROM_EQ_ENVFROM(0.00)[]; DWL_DNSWL_NONE(0.00)[gmail.com:dkim]; PREVIOUSLY_DELIVERED(0.00)[freebsd-questions@freebsd.org]; MID_RHS_MATCH_FROM(0.00)[]; MLMMJ_DEST(0.00)[freebsd-questions@freebsd.org]; RCVD_VIA_SMTP_AUTH(0.00)[]; RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE(0.00)[2a00:1450:4864:20::32a:from] X-Rspamd-Queue-Id: 4fCdVl0d8Kz4LR8 X-Spamd-Bar: --- On 11/02/2026 09:40, Mathias M. wrote: >> … > As a random, long time FreeBSD user: > Those 'advantages' elude me and are anything but clear. > > But maybe that's just me, … It's not just you :-) Traditional freebsd-update is not compatible with STABLE or CURRENT. base packages are not so limited. They exist for 14 RELEASE, 14 STABLE, 15 RELEASE, 15 STABLE, and 16.0-CURRENT. With traditional/legacy distribution sets (tar archives): it's relatively difficult to reinstall the OS. With base packages: it's relatively easy to reinstall. lists four bullet points, one of which is about STABLE and CURRENT, and "… more flexibility in keeping systems minimal, consistent, and up to date.". Advantages exist, but are not well-documented.