From owner-freebsd-ports@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Dec 1 16:48:45 2007 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C7C9F16A41A for ; Sat, 1 Dec 2007 16:48:45 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from erikt@midgard.homeip.net) Received: from ch-smtp01.sth.basefarm.net (ch-smtp01.sth.basefarm.net [80.76.149.212]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 537F513C45B for ; Sat, 1 Dec 2007 16:48:45 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from erikt@midgard.homeip.net) Received: from c83-253-25-183.bredband.comhem.se ([83.253.25.183]:56782 helo=falcon.midgard.homeip.net) by ch-smtp01.sth.basefarm.net with esmtp (Exim 4.68) (envelope-from ) id 1IyVWG-0006qc-40 for freebsd-ports@freebsd.org; Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:48:44 +0100 Received: (qmail 16758 invoked from network); 1 Dec 2007 17:48:41 +0100 Received: from owl.midgard.homeip.net (10.1.5.7) by falcon.midgard.homeip.net with ESMTP; 1 Dec 2007 17:48:41 +0100 Received: (qmail 34458 invoked by uid 1001); 1 Dec 2007 17:48:41 +0100 Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2007 17:48:41 +0100 From: Erik Trulsson To: David Southwell Message-ID: <20071201164841.GA34390@owl.midgard.homeip.net> Mail-Followup-To: David Southwell , freebsd-ports@freebsd.org References: <33640.194.74.82.3.1196149681.squirrel@galain.elvandar.org> <20071201132508.GA33039@owl.midgard.homeip.net> <20071201135821.GK22121@graf.pompo.net> <200712010749.01173.david@vizion2000.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <200712010749.01173.david@vizion2000.net> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.16 (2007-06-09) X-Originating-IP: 83.253.25.183 X-Scan-Result: No virus found in message 1IyVWG-0006qc-40. X-Scan-Signature: ch-smtp01.sth.basefarm.net 1IyVWG-0006qc-40 cd35fc75b88d5544baec9f51a365cd3e Cc: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Subject: Re: duration of the ports freeze X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:48:45 -0000 On Sat, Dec 01, 2007 at 07:49:00AM -0800, David Southwell wrote: > On Saturday 01 December 2007 05:58:21 Thierry Thomas wrote: > > On Sat 1 dec 07 at 14:25:08 +0100, Erik Trulsson > > > > wrote: > > > The ports freeze is intended to make sure the ports tree is in a stable > > > and well tested state for the release. Updating major ports always carry > > > a great risk of breaking things thus defeating the point of the freeze. > > > > Anyway, if the freeze is too long, and if the new version is released > > several weeks after the thaw, very few will install these packages: > > a lot of updates will be committed, and many users will update their > > ports tree to install the new versions. This is very difficult to find a > > good compromise! > > I do not think we need a compromise we need a different system. We need one > that preserves continuity of support for existing systems while the new > releases are testedin a way that does not adversely impact them. The priority > needs to be the current user base not a desire to rush a new release out the > door at all costs. Considering that FreeBSD releases almost always get delayed by several weeks compared to the original schedule I think it is safe to say that "a desire to rush a new release out the door at all costs" is something that the FreeBSD project certainly does not suffer from. Now it may be that due to the ports freeze, there will be some ports whose upgrade will be delayed for a couple of weeks (not to be confused with those ports whose upgrade gets delayed for other reasons.) I do not consider this to be a major problem. I think you vastly overestimate the need for the ports tree to always have the latest versions of all softwares contained therein. In those very rare cases where a user just cannot wait 2-3 weeks extra for an upgrade, they can always try to build the software themselves outside the ports system. -- Erik Trulsson ertr1013@student.uu.se