Date: Fri, 11 May 2018 10:12:43 -0500 From: Grouchy Sysadmin <sysadmin@grouchysysadmin.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Cc: jude.obscure@yandex.com Subject: Re: A request for release engineering Message-ID: <7413e00d-6818-1df8-7454-57d4a3d3f299@grouchysysadmin.com> In-Reply-To: <0fbe4e76-f482-c936-7bf2-2b689d6902d2@yandex.com> References: <4acac175-9bf2-40a6-a41a-cb5870641c8d@yandex.com> <670715be-849c-47fc-72b4-42b81cf31c0a@qeng-ho.org> <DFED4A6E-BC93-4D62-AD86-A441BDB2BD8E@sigsegv.be> <alpine.BSF.2.20.1805110708180.38383@beak.h.net> <0fbe4e76-f482-c936-7bf2-2b689d6902d2@yandex.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On 05/11/2018 09:40 AM, Manish Jain wrote: > On 05/11/18 19:45, Robroy Gregg wrote: >> >> On Fri, 11 May 2018, Kristof Provost wrote: >> >>> On 11 May 2018, at 9:11, Arthur Chance wrote: >>>> On 10/05/2018 19:15, Manish Jain wrote: >>>>> Hi, >>>>> >>>>> I have no idea whether this is the right list to make this request >>>>> to. >>>>> But I could not find any other list that would definitely be >>>>> better suited. >>>>> >>>>> I noticed when trying to build a port under my 10.3 box that >>>>> support for >>>>> 10.3 has now expired. I have no problems with that - I will >>>>> install 12 >>>>> afresh when it becomes available later this year. >>>>> >>>>> But since installing afresh demands a whole effort, I request that >>>>> FreeBSD reduce its new releases to one per year, while the support >>>>> period is increased to 3 years per release. >>>>> >>>>> Does this sound like a good request to others too ? >>>>> >>>> >>>> The FreeBSD support model was announced over three years ago: >>>> >>>> >>> https://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-announce/2015-February/001624.html >>> >>>> >>>> In particular >>>> >>>> - Each new release from the stable/X branch deprecates the previous >>>> release on the branch, providing a three-month window within which >>>> consumers are urged to upgrade to the latest release. During this >>>> three-month window, Security Advisories and Errata Notices will >>>> still >>>> be issued for the previous release, as necessary. >>>> >>>> Why not simply update to 10.4? >>>> >>> FreeBSD 10.4 reaches end-of-life on October 31, 2018. At this point >>> I?d recommend an upgrade to 11.1 right now, to get to a supported >>> version and then an upgrade to 11.2 within three months of the >>> release of 11.2. >> >> I wonder how many other people are like me--planning to "float" from >> 10.3-RELEASE to 11.2-RELEASE on some computers, just to face the >> devil once instead of twice (the devil to which I refer's the one >> who's "in the details" every time I change anything on a server). > > > There is one point on which I request expert advice. > > Since bumping the version up using freebsd-update needs you to install > all packages afresh, it would appear to my naked eye that it never > makes sense to upgrade. Instead, one should simply wait till one's > release version goes beyond EOL - and then install the latest > available release afresh. This is just what I plan on this box (10.3) > - wait till November, and then install 12 over the current installation. > > Exactly when does the upgrade via freebsd-update bring any real > advantage to the user ? I see one disadvantage in upgrading - things > don't work as smoothly/reliably as with a fresh installation. > I've used freebsd-update to move machines from 9x to 11.1 without significant issues. Personally, it's a huge improvement and time saver over the source building method. Point release upgrades don't require that you rebuild packages. You could update to 10.4 without needing to install the packages afresh. Only major version changes like 9x-10x, or 10x-11x require rebuilding/installing software. Granted my experience is not going to be the same for everybody, but freebsd-update works as intended here.
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?7413e00d-6818-1df8-7454-57d4a3d3f299>