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To: rdkeys@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu
cc: grog@lemis.com (Greg Lehey), freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: 2.2-STABLE 
In-reply-to: Your message of "Mon, 25 Aug 1997 11:22:35 EDT."
             <9708251522.AA128968@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu> 
From: David Greenman <dg@root.com>
Reply-To: dg@root.com
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 1997 15:45:14 -0700
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>Not to pick at nits.... but, I am still confused as to what EXACTLY is
>the ``stable'' FreeBSD.  Please enlighten me, and tell me the reasoning
>behind it.
>
>I read all the various manuals, faq's, .txt's and everything else that I
>can find, but it still is not clear.
>
>My interpretation is:
>
>1.  The ``stable'' FreeBSD is 2.1.7.1.  (ref FBSD HBK 16.2.2 para 1, and
>    16.3.2.3 para 9) 
>
>2.  A currently developing stable line is in progress based upon the current
>    2.2-RELENG tree (AKA the current 2.2-97xxxxRELENG daily snapshot).
>
>That, to me, means that 2.1.7.1 is ``cast in stone stable'', and the current
>RELENG snapshot is ``mostly 99.44% stable''.
>
>The mail I get from folks suggests 2.2 is the stable thingie and I have seen a
>reference tag to a 2.2-STABLE, and that 2.1.7.1 is basically history.  If it
>is, why is 2.1.7.1 called stable in the FBSD HBK?
>
>Will someone please explain to me WHAT IS the stable FreeBSD,

   No, that is not what -stable is. The current head of each major branch that
releases are cut from (e.g. 2.1.x, 2.2.x, and eventually 3.0.x) are refered to
as "-stable" after the first release is cut. The designation -stable means
"more stable than the most recent release on this branch". Of course, mistakes
occasionally happen that make this untrue, but this is rare and has only
happend on a couple of occasions for very short periods.

-DG

David Greenman
Core-team/Principal Architect, The FreeBSD Project