From owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG Tue May 24 01:45:55 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9F34516A41C for ; Tue, 24 May 2005 01:45:55 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from rees@ddcom.co.jp) Received: from proxy.ddcom.co.jp (proxy.ddcom.co.jp [211.121.191.163]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id F023E43D1D for ; Tue, 24 May 2005 01:45:54 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from rees@ddcom.co.jp) Received: (qmail 28685 invoked by alias); 24 May 2005 01:57:01 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO matthew) (10.10.10.11) by mail.ddcom.local with SMTP; 24 May 2005 01:57:01 -0000 Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 10:45:48 +0900 From: Joel To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org In-Reply-To: <3528.172.16.0.199.1116884292.squirrel@172.16.0.1> References: <20050523210818.GC823@zaphod.nitro.dk> <3528.172.16.0.199.1116884292.squirrel@172.16.0.1> Message-Id: <20050524102414.3A16.REES@ddcom.co.jp> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-2022-JP" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Becky! ver. 2.00.06 Subject: Re: Lifetime of FreeBSD branches X-BeenThere: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Production branch of FreeBSD source code List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 24 May 2005 01:45:55 -0000 Random comment from the peanut gallery, but ... > >> Thanks for the info guys. Does this "security support" also mean that > >> current ports will be compatible with the release? > > > > No, there are no guarantees about that. The ports/ people generally > > try to make things work with older releases, but there are no gurantees > > there. It's simply too much work to make such guarantees, and this is > > after all an volunteer project (for most parts anyway). See also > > http://www.freebsd.org/ports/ for the "official" statement. > > Right, i didnt think so. Debian is a volunteer project too, and their > packaging system supports all of their branches. I guess i should look > into rolling my own packages, to be sure. And yes, i realize that we just > dont have an infrastructure for something like this. I'm thinking that, if a company really doesn't have the infrastructure, there are several good options. You mention Linux. MacOSX is closer to the BSDs than Linux in many ways, tends to have relatively long-term stability, and you can pay Apple for a rather high level of support if you join their developer's program. The best option, however, may be to invest in the infrastructure -- a long term relationship with a qualified contractor, or even an employee whose primary duty would be to (learn how to) do the heavy lifting on backporting and upgrading. That way, the OS itself becomes more a part of the company's resources. -- Joel Rees digitcom, inc. 株式会社デジコム Kobe, Japan +81-78-672-8800 ** **