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Date:      Mon, 15 Jan 2024 14:48:42 -0800
From:      paul beard <paulbeard@gmail.com>
To:        Mario Marietto <marietto2008@gmail.com>, FreeBSD Questions List <questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: How to upgrade an EOL FreeBSD release or how to make it working again
Message-ID:  <CAMtcK2q-%2B5NLOdo35A5qzjziGG0xxvfETRifbR8D5W39n2uChQ@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <CA%2B1FSihPeyNK78tjRJZeNJZ-puzV_z4NcOf%2B1giDnUKbBpD7ow@mail.gmail.com>
References:  <CA%2B1FSihU4WJWbbD9k9th4GXvyAKTL3URic-BAFUY7Og=wLn27A@mail.gmail.com> <CA390EE5-3339-4A15-8087-C28B309FA523@mit.edu> <CA%2B1FSih6j0QP9nKkxFCjMCeuMdvJca3WxVsi8%2BQaN2sV8YO-zw@mail.gmail.com> <D435604C-70F1-454D-B3AE-CD4D7C99D383@FreeBSD.org> <CAMtcK2p%2Bs5%2B1-QYC_%2BUceOz_DFDUsfzwL4dePh9TX%2BDnh=78og@mail.gmail.com> <CA%2B1FSija47P8SY7zL-5KzgZ30vgcPtykEN3HiJXbo4rZbFoObw@mail.gmail.com> <CA%2B1FSihPeyNK78tjRJZeNJZ-puzV_z4NcOf%2B1giDnUKbBpD7ow@mail.gmail.com>

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NetBSD runs on almost everything up to a Dyson vacuum=E2=80=A6take a look, =
there is
an ARM flavor supported there. It will feel familiar, I expect. But to an
earlier poster's point, that is pretty old hardware. I bow to no one in my
enthusiasm for keeping obsolete hardware running, but a chromebook might be
too little reward for the effort needed.

On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 2:06=E2=80=AFPM Mario Marietto <marietto2008@gmail.=
com>
wrote:

> Hello Paul,
>
> Do you know for sure if I can install NetBSD on my Google / Samsung / Arm
> / Chromebook ?
>
> On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 10:38=E2=80=AFPM Mario Marietto <marietto2008@gma=
il.com>
> wrote:
>
>> What is NetBSD for ?
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 9:53=E2=80=AFPM paul beard <paulbeard@gmail.com>=
 wrote:
>>
>>> This is usually where someone asks if OP has heard of NetBSD.
>>>
>>> https://www.netbsd.org
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 10:16=E2=80=AFAM David Chisnall <theraven@freeb=
sd.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 15 Jan 2024, at 16:46, Mario Marietto <marietto2008@gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> >
>>>> > The ARM Chromebook is based on armv7,it is still recent.
>>>>
>>>> For reference, the ARMv7 architecture was introduced in 2005.  The las=
t
>>>> cores that implemented the architecture were released in 2014.  This i=
s not
>>>> a =E2=80=98recent=E2=80=99 architecture, it=E2=80=99s one that=E2=80=
=99s 19 years old and has been largely
>>>> dead for several years.
>>>>
>>>> > But let's change perspective for a moment,don't think about the ARM
>>>> Chromebook. My question is : how to upgrade FreeBSD when it goes EOL.
>>>>
>>>> Generally, run `freebsd-update`.  This is a very different question
>>>> from =E2=80=98how do I do a new install of an old an unsupported versi=
on?'
>>>>
>>>> > I ask this because there is a huge difference here between FreeBSD
>>>> and Linux. Today if you need to use , for example Ubuntu 14.0, you can=
 use
>>>> it as is. Yes,there will be a lot of bugs,but it will work without
>>>> crashes.  But if you want to use an old FreeBSD system,nothing will wo=
rk
>>>> for you. So,do you know some methods to install even packages or ports=
 ?
>>>> You know,there are cases when you need to do some experiments so that =
you
>>>> can keep your machine off the internet,so you aren't scared that someo=
ne
>>>> can compromise it. Totally prohibiting the users to use an old
>>>> system,removing ports and packages is not a choice that I approve of. =
And
>>>> I'm not the only one that thinks like this.
>>>>
>>>> If you want to use an old and unsupported version of FreeBSD, no one i=
s
>>>> stopping you, but:
>>>>
>>>>  - You will need to build the releases.  The source code is still in
>>>> git, you can.  The scripts for building the release images are right t=
here
>>>> in the repo.  Just grab the relevant release or releng branch and go.
>>>>
>>>>  - You will need to build packages.  Newer versions of the ports tree
>>>> will not be tested with the older release, so you may need to use an o=
lder
>>>> checkout of the ports tree.  Poudriere will build a package repo for y=
ou.
>>>>
>>>> In both cases, if you=E2=80=99re using older versions you almost certa=
inly
>>>> *will* have security vulnerabilities.  The project strongly advises yo=
u not
>>>> to do this and not to blame us when you install known-insecure softwar=
e and
>>>> end up compromised.
>>>>
>>>> The project does not have enough active contributors to keep
>>>> maintaining things indefinitely.  This is why release have a five-year
>>>> supported lifetime.  If you want to pick up an old branch and maintain=
 it,
>>>> you=E2=80=99re welcome to.  In the past, companies have picked up old =
branches and
>>>> maintained them for customers that had a dependency on them.  If you w=
ant
>>>> to pay someone to maintain an old branch (and have deep pockets) then =
there
>>>> are probably a few companies that will happily take your money.
>>>>
>>>> Maintaining binaries is a slightly different issue, but it=E2=80=99s n=
ot
>>>> totally unrelated.  Keeping old packages around consumes disk space an=
d
>>>> costs the project money (remember, every package is mirrored across th=
e
>>>> CDN, so this isn=E2=80=99t just a single disk).  Even if it were free,
>>>> philosophically, I think making it easy for users to install known-ins=
ecure
>>>> software is a bad idea but if you want to keep a package repo with
>>>> out-of-date packages online indefinitely then you can.  You can run
>>>> Poudriere and even cross-compile from a fairly beefy cloud machine qui=
te
>>>> easily.
>>>>
>>>> It=E2=80=99s been a while since I did a full package build, but I woul=
d guess
>>>> that you could do a single package build (all ports) for about $50 on =
a
>>>> cloud VM, more (2-3x) if it=E2=80=99s emulated.  Storing the results f=
or a small
>>>> number of users will cost around $10-20/month.  If you think this is a=
n
>>>> important thing to do, then you are absolutely welcome to spend your o=
wn
>>>> money on doing it.
>>>>
>>>> David
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Paul Beard / www.paulbeard.org/
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Mario.
>>
>
>
> --
> Mario.
>


--=20
Paul Beard / www.paulbeard.org/

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<div dir=3D"ltr">NetBSD runs on almost everything=C2=A0up to a Dyson vacuum=
=E2=80=A6take a look, there is an ARM flavor supported there. It will feel =
familiar, I expect. But to an earlier=C2=A0poster&#39;s point, that is pret=
ty old hardware. I bow to no one in my enthusiasm=C2=A0for keeping obsolete=
=C2=A0hardware running, but a chromebook might be too little reward for the=
 effort needed.=C2=A0</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" =
class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 2:06=E2=80=AFPM Mario Marietto=
 &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:marietto2008@gmail.com">marietto2008@gmail.com</a>&g=
t; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0p=
x 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color=
:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Hello Paul,</div>=
<div><br></div><div>Do you know for sure if I can install NetBSD on my Goog=
le / Samsung / Arm / Chromebook ? <br></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_q=
uote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 10:38=
=E2=80=AFPM Mario Marietto &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:marietto2008@gmail.com" ta=
rget=3D"_blank">marietto2008@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote =
class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1=
px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:=
1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">What is NetBSD for ? <br></div><br><div class=3D"gmai=
l_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 9:53=
=E2=80=AFPM paul beard &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:paulbeard@gmail.com" target=3D=
"_blank">paulbeard@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"g=
mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-=
left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div =
dir=3D"ltr">This is usually where someone asks if OP has heard of NetBSD.=
=C2=A0<div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://www.netbsd.org" target=3D"_bla=
nk">https://www.netbsd.org</a><br></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote=
"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 10:16=E2=80=
=AFAM David Chisnall &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:theraven@freebsd.org" target=3D"=
_blank">theraven@freebsd.org</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"g=
mail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-=
left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">On 15=
 Jan 2024, at 16:46, Mario Marietto &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:marietto2008@gmai=
l.com" target=3D"_blank">marietto2008@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br>
&gt; <br>
&gt; The ARM Chromebook is based on armv7,it is still recent.<br>
<br>
For reference, the ARMv7 architecture was introduced in 2005.=C2=A0 The las=
t cores that implemented the architecture were released in 2014.=C2=A0 This=
 is not a =E2=80=98recent=E2=80=99 architecture, it=E2=80=99s one that=E2=
=80=99s 19 years old and has been largely dead for several years.<br>
<br>
&gt; But let&#39;s change perspective for a moment,don&#39;t think about th=
e ARM Chromebook. My question is : how to upgrade FreeBSD when it goes EOL.=
<br>
<br>
Generally, run `freebsd-update`.=C2=A0 This is a very different question fr=
om =E2=80=98how do I do a new install of an old an unsupported version?&#39=
;<br>
<br>
&gt; I ask this because there is a huge difference here between FreeBSD and=
 Linux. Today if you need to use , for example Ubuntu 14.0, you can use it =
as is. Yes,there will be a lot of bugs,but it will work without crashes.=C2=
=A0 But if you want to use an old FreeBSD system,nothing will work for you.=
 So,do you know some methods to install even packages or ports ? You know,t=
here are cases when you need to do some experiments so that you can keep yo=
ur machine off the internet,so you aren&#39;t scared that someone can compr=
omise it. Totally prohibiting the users to use an old system,removing ports=
 and packages is not a choice that I approve of. And I&#39;m not the only o=
ne that thinks like this.<br>
<br>
If you want to use an old and unsupported version of FreeBSD, no one is sto=
pping you, but:<br>
<br>
=C2=A0- You will need to build the releases.=C2=A0 The source code is still=
 in git, you can.=C2=A0 The scripts for building the release images are rig=
ht there in the repo.=C2=A0 Just grab the relevant release or releng branch=
 and go.<br>
<br>
=C2=A0- You will need to build packages.=C2=A0 Newer versions of the ports =
tree will not be tested with the older release, so you may need to use an o=
lder checkout of the ports tree.=C2=A0 Poudriere will build a package repo =
for you.=C2=A0 <br>
<br>
In both cases, if you=E2=80=99re using older versions you almost certainly =
*will* have security vulnerabilities.=C2=A0 The project strongly advises yo=
u not to do this and not to blame us when you install known-insecure softwa=
re and end up compromised.<br>
<br>
The project does not have enough active contributors to keep maintaining th=
ings indefinitely.=C2=A0 This is why release have a five-year supported lif=
etime.=C2=A0 If you want to pick up an old branch and maintain it, you=E2=
=80=99re welcome to.=C2=A0 In the past, companies have picked up old branch=
es and maintained them for customers that had a dependency on them.=C2=A0 I=
f you want to pay someone to maintain an old branch (and have deep pockets)=
 then there are probably a few companies that will happily take your money.=
<br>
<br>
Maintaining binaries is a slightly different issue, but it=E2=80=99s not to=
tally unrelated.=C2=A0 Keeping old packages around consumes disk space and =
costs the project money (remember, every package is mirrored across the CDN=
, so this isn=E2=80=99t just a single disk).=C2=A0 Even if it were free, ph=
ilosophically, I think making it easy for users to install known-insecure s=
oftware is a bad idea but if you want to keep a package repo with out-of-da=
te packages online indefinitely then you can.=C2=A0 You can run Poudriere a=
nd even cross-compile from a fairly beefy cloud machine quite easily.<br>
<br>
It=E2=80=99s been a while since I did a full package build, but I would gue=
ss that you could do a single package build (all ports) for about $50 on a =
cloud VM, more (2-3x) if it=E2=80=99s emulated.=C2=A0 Storing the results f=
or a small number of users will cost around $10-20/month.=C2=A0 If you thin=
k this is an important thing to do, then you are absolutely welcome to spen=
d your own money on doing it.<br>
<br>
David<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div><br clear=3D"all"><div><br></div><span class=3D"gmail_si=
gnature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature">Pa=
ul Beard / <a href=3D"http://www.paulbeard.org/" target=3D"_blank">www.paul=
beard.org/</a><br></div>
</blockquote></div><br clear=3D"all"><br><span class=3D"gmail_signature_pre=
fix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature">Mario.<br></d=
iv>
</blockquote></div><br clear=3D"all"><br><span class=3D"gmail_signature_pre=
fix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature">Mario.<br></d=
iv>
</blockquote></div><br clear=3D"all"><div><br></div><span class=3D"gmail_si=
gnature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature">Pa=
ul Beard / <a href=3D"http://www.paulbeard.org/" target=3D"_blank">www.paul=
beard.org/</a><br></div>

--00000000000080e017060f03d1e3--



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