Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Tue, 3 Sep 1996 08:54:41 -0400 (EDT)
From:      Chuck Robey <chuckr@glue.umd.edu>
To:        Richard Wackerbarth <rkw@dataplex.net>
Cc:        gjennejohn@frt.dec.com, current@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Latest Current build failure
Message-ID:  <Pine.OSF.3.95.960903084856.17874C-100000@downlink.eng.umd.edu>
In-Reply-To: <v02140b03ae51c338e0fc@[208.2.87.4]>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Tue, 3 Sep 1996, Richard Wackerbarth wrote:

> >IMO production level means release, not -current. I don't think that
> >we can expect to grow a market based on -current, that's what the
> >releases are for. People who want to be on the bleeding-edge and use
> >-current have to enter this particular "hell" with open eyes. Using
> >-current isn't for the faint of heart or newbies. I've been running
> >-current for years and have never encountered a problem which wasn't
> >quickly remedied in the tree or which I couldn't work around with
> >little effort.
> >
> >I personally don't see investing a lot of time or resources to
> >guarantee that -current is ALWAYS compilable. A hiccough now and
> >then is what one has to expect and be prepared to accept when using
> >-current.
> 
> Well, "release" is not good enough for production. A release is static.
> There are always things wrong with a release. They need to be fixed. Newer
> versions of utilities need to be incorporated, etc.
> 
> The present "stable" model could fill that slot. However, I would like to
> see a bit more effort placed on its support. (I know it isn't as much "fun"
> as working on "current")
> 
> To me, there is a tradeoff between getting more "current" testers and
> allowing "current" to fail to compile. I personally think that "current"
> should be dropped. CVSup of the total tree is appropriate for the "bleeding
> edger's".
> At least they can then select which parts they wish to include in their build.
> The rest can wait for Jordan's SNAP releases.

You know, I'm just a little curious about the tone of the argument.  While
I do think that current has gone through some very bad periods of
instability, I don't remember a time that it was as stable as it has been
lately.  The clear majority of problems in building current have been
related to sup archive instability,  not current being broke,  I think
your goals are laudable, but they don't seem to be addressing the problem
right now.  I am wondering if a rapid checksum program wouldn't be of more
general use right now, so folks could elilminate archive problems before
complaining that current is broke.

I'm running ctm/cvs myself, and current has been incredibly stable.

----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------
Chuck Robey                 | Interests include any kind of voice or data 
chuckr@eng.umd.edu          | communications topic, C programming, and Unix.
9120 Edmonston Ct #302      |
Greenbelt, MD 20770         | I run Journey2 and n3lxx, both FreeBSD
(301) 220-2114              | version 2.2 current -- and great FUN!
----------------------------+-----------------------------------------------




Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?Pine.OSF.3.95.960903084856.17874C-100000>