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Date:      Sun, 27 Nov 2022 20:12:08 -0700
From:      Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com>
To:        Alexander Leidinger <netchild@freebsd.org>
Cc:        freebsd-arch@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: How much to remove from UPDATING (was: Re: git: ff0c7816db69 - main - Remove UPDATING entries from old branches.)
Message-ID:  <CANCZdfqDuCQS26_2VSSG9Pyw9QrTeRtY%2Bx3Wn48UhXGvCyKcQQ@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <CANCZdfruzk8Ruxo7MQ3zTwNZbow0i%2BBdvunqNV5mM=FK-WDGAQ@mail.gmail.com>
References:  <202211250923.2AP9NakT073087@gitrepo.freebsd.org> <CANCZdfq%2BAVGWa91Cv80t60jKAmw0UwoTVNFeOGRjOhAPjsJH%2Bw@mail.gmail.com> <20221127223531.Horde.3qMyxtWhJEa3tXdg500ge5g@webmail.leidinger.net> <CANCZdfruzk8Ruxo7MQ3zTwNZbow0i%2BBdvunqNV5mM=FK-WDGAQ@mail.gmail.com>

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On Sun, Nov 27, 2022 at 7:17 PM Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Sun, Nov 27, 2022 at 2:35 PM Alexander Leidinger <netchild@freebsd.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Quoting Warner Losh <imp@bsdimp.com> (from Fri, 25 Nov 2022 09:41:28
>> -0700):
>>
>> > Please revert this. We keep older updating entries on purpose. You
>> purged
>> > way too much. Let's chat about how much to remove in arch@. They are
>> for
>> > more than just source updates, so your reasoning is wrong. They are also
>> > there for users updating their products which can have a larger leap in
>> > time. We've traditionally kept closer to 5-10 years here for that
>> reason.
>>
>> Reverted.
>>
>> UPDATING as far back as stable/10 (= 4 major updates) is a little bit
>> excessive (more than 9 years of development work so far), isn't it?
>>
>
> Yes. It's about one release too old, maybe two. More on one or two in a
> bit.
>
>
>> I don't get the "more than just src updates" part. If we don't talk
>> about the source code, isn't src/UPATING not the wrong place to store
>> it?
>>
>
> More than just 'make buildworld updating' or ''updating a system from src'
> is what I mean.
>
>
>> In terms of updating products, I understand that updating them every 2
>> years may be a little bit expensive/excessive for some vendors, but
>> taking every UPDATING from every stable branch in-between doesn't look
>> too much time consuming to me. And compared to the huge amount of
>> changes between N-2 and N... taking UPDATING from all stable branches
>> in-beteen is nothing. Nevertheless, 4-5 years I consider OK-ish,
>> nearly 10 years is ... ugh ... a life-time or two in the computer
>> world. If we look e.g. at the PlayStation (yes, just one of the
>> products which has FreeBSD inside, but personally I consider it one of
>> the more stable ones than some network products which have a shorter
>> shelf-time than the PS-line from an OS-version-tracking point of
>> view), there are around 6 years in-between models, and they surely
>> haven't started developing a month before the release date.
>>
>
> So, let's look at what it's used for to see how much we need. If you
> look at it that way, you'll see that we're not crazy lagging.
>
>
>> So where do we draw the line for UPDATING, 2 major versions (~4
>> years), 3 major versions (~6 years)? ~10 years (~5 major versions)
>> looks overly excessive to me. That's not something you want to try to
>> catch up, that's rather a new development than a catch-up
>
>
> OK. Traditionally we've lagged a major release or two from what's
> officially supported by the project. Right now the 10.x stuff is definitely
> too old. The 11.x stuff is borderline (but likely relevant), the 12.x stuff
> is still quite relevant.
>
> We need to look at who is updating. Many people have only recently
> updated from 11. Almost everybody has updated from 10 by now. Lots
> of people are using 12 and it's still supported.
>
> Most of the folks that have source products with lots of changes have
> updated to at least 12 as far as I've been able to tell. But many haven't
> jumped to 13 or current yet.
>
> There are many people still updating their VMs from 11. Traditionally, they
> wait until after 11.x goes unsupported before they update. It's only been
> unsupported for just over 1 year. In the past, this is where upgrading is
> hitting full speed (I've received feedback in the past at conferences that
> people often put it off for up to 18 months)... 10.x has been unsupported
> for more than 3 years, so historically everybody has moved on. So the
>

I can't do math.... More than 4 years...


> 10.x entries are definitely stale... The 11 entries are on the edge...  I'd
> normally have removed the 10.x entries when 13 was branched, but
> I was asleep at the wheel this time.... Though looking at the logs, I've
> been not so great about this. Better at some times, worse at others....
>

So in my opinion, 10.x entries should have already been gone. 11.x
> entries are likely useful enough to keep, but they are waning fast. 12.x
> entries are likely being used all the time by people upgrading from
> still-supported
> releases. We've traditionally weighted towards retention because the
> cost of retention has been super low.
>
> This suggests we delete up to the 11 branch point now, and to the 12
> branch point when 14 branches in 6 months or so...
>

13.x was branched about 6.5 years ago. When 14 is branched, it will be
7 years and we'll removing the to the 12 branch point which will be
four and half years. This seems like a good range to oscillate between.

Warner

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">=
<div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Nov 27, 2022 at 7:17 PM Warne=
r Losh &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:imp@bsdimp.com">imp@bsdimp.com</a>&gt; wrote:<=
br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8e=
x;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"=
><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr"=
 class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Nov 27, 2022 at 2:35 PM Alexander Leidinger &=
lt;<a href=3D"mailto:netchild@freebsd.org" target=3D"_blank">netchild@freeb=
sd.org</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"m=
argin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left=
:1ex">Quoting Warner Losh &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:imp@bsdimp.com" target=3D"_=
blank">imp@bsdimp.com</a>&gt; (from Fri, 25 Nov 2022 09:41:28 -0700):<br>
<br>
&gt; Please revert this. We keep older updating entries on purpose. You pur=
ged<br>
&gt; way too much. Let&#39;s chat about how much to remove in arch@. They a=
re for<br>
&gt; more than just source updates, so your reasoning is wrong. They are al=
so<br>
&gt; there for users updating their products which can have a larger leap i=
n<br>
&gt; time. We&#39;ve traditionally kept closer to 5-10 years here for that =
reason.<br>
<br>
Reverted.<br>
<br>
UPDATING as far back as stable/10 (=3D 4 major updates) is a little bit=C2=
=A0 <br>
excessive (more than 9 years of development work so far), isn&#39;t it?<br>=
</blockquote><div><br></div><div>Yes. It&#39;s about one release too old, m=
aybe two. More on one or two in a bit.<br></div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquot=
e class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px s=
olid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
I don&#39;t get the &quot;more than just src updates&quot; part. If we don&=
#39;t talk=C2=A0 <br>
about the source code, isn&#39;t src/UPATING not the wrong place to store=
=C2=A0 <br>
it?<br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>More than just &#39;make buildworld=
 updating&#39; or &#39;&#39;updating a system from src&#39;</div><div>is wh=
at I mean.<br></div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" styl=
e=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);paddin=
g-left:1ex">
In terms of updating products, I understand that updating them every 2=C2=
=A0 <br>
years may be a little bit expensive/excessive for some vendors, but=C2=A0 <=
br>
taking every UPDATING from every stable branch in-between doesn&#39;t look=
=C2=A0 <br>
too much time consuming to me. And compared to the huge amount of=C2=A0 <br=
>
changes between N-2 and N... taking UPDATING from all stable branches=C2=A0=
 <br>
in-beteen is nothing. Nevertheless, 4-5 years I consider OK-ish,=C2=A0 <br>
nearly 10 years is ... ugh ... a life-time or two in the computer=C2=A0 <br=
>
world. If we look e.g. at the PlayStation (yes, just one of the=C2=A0 <br>
products which has FreeBSD inside, but personally I consider it one of=C2=
=A0 <br>
the more stable ones than some network products which have a shorter=C2=A0 =
<br>
shelf-time than the PS-line from an OS-version-tracking point of=C2=A0 <br>
view), there are around 6 years in-between models, and they surely=C2=A0 <b=
r>
haven&#39;t started developing a month before the release date.<br></blockq=
uote><div><br></div><div>So, let&#39;s look at what it&#39;s used for to se=
e how much we need. If you</div><div>look at it that way, you&#39;ll see th=
at we&#39;re not crazy lagging.<br></div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=
=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rg=
b(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
So where do we draw the line for UPDATING, 2 major versions (~4=C2=A0 <br>
years), 3 major versions (~6 years)? ~10 years (~5 major versions)=C2=A0 <b=
r>
looks overly excessive to me. That&#39;s not something you want to try to=
=C2=A0 <br>
catch up, that&#39;s rather a new development than a catch-up</blockquote><=
div><br></div><div>OK. Traditionally we&#39;ve lagged a major release or tw=
o from what&#39;s</div><div>officially supported by the project. Right now =
the 10.x stuff is definitely</div><div>too old. The 11.x stuff is borderlin=
e (but likely relevant), the 12.x stuff</div><div>is still quite relevant.<=
br></div><div><br></div><div>We need to look at who is updating. Many peopl=
e have only recently</div><div>updated from 11. Almost everybody has update=
d from 10 by now. Lots</div><div>of people are using 12 and it&#39;s still =
supported.</div><div><br></div><div>Most of the folks that have source prod=
ucts with lots of changes have</div><div>updated to at least 12 as far as I=
&#39;ve been able to tell. But many haven&#39;t</div><div>jumped to 13 or c=
urrent yet.</div><div><br></div><div>There are many people still updating t=
heir VMs from 11. Traditionally, they</div><div>wait until after 11.x goes =
unsupported before they update. It&#39;s only been</div><div>unsupported fo=
r just over 1 year. In the past, this is where upgrading is</div><div>hitti=
ng full speed (I&#39;ve received feedback in the past at conferences that</=
div><div>people often put it off for up to 18 months)... 10.x has been unsu=
pported</div><div>for more than 3 years, so historically everybody has move=
d on. So the</div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I can&#39;t =
do math.... More than 4 years...</div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D=
"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(2=
04,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><=
div>10.x entries are definitely stale... The 11 entries are on the edge...=
=C2=A0 I&#39;d</div><div>normally have removed the 10.x entries when 13 was=
 branched, but</div><div>I was asleep at the wheel this time.... Though loo=
king at the logs, I&#39;ve</div><div>been not so great about this. Better a=
t some times, worse at others....</div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></=
div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;bor=
der-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div=
 class=3D"gmail_quote"><div>So in my opinion, 10.x entries should have alre=
ady been gone. 11.x</div><div>entries are likely useful enough to keep, but=
 they are waning fast. 12.x</div><div>entries are likely being used all the=
 time by people upgrading from still-supported</div><div>releases. We&#39;v=
e traditionally weighted towards retention because the</div><div>cost of re=
tention has been super low.</div><div><br></div><div>This suggests we delet=
e up to the 11 branch point now, and to the 12</div><div>branch point when =
14 branches in 6 months or=C2=A0so...</div></div></div></blockquote><div><b=
r></div><div>13.x was branched about 6.5 years ago. When 14 is branched, it=
 will be</div><div>7 years and we&#39;ll removing the to the 12 branch poin=
t which will be</div><div>four and half years. This seems like a good range=
 to oscillate between.</div><div><br></div><div>Warner <br></div></div></di=
v>

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