From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Jan 17 01:20:52 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CE592106566B for ; Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:20:52 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from prvs=1363d33761=killing@multiplay.co.uk) Received: from mail1.multiplay.co.uk (mail1.multiplay.co.uk [85.236.96.23]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 522328FC08 for ; Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:20:52 +0000 (UTC) X-MDAV-Processed: mail1.multiplay.co.uk, Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:09:29 +0000 X-Spam-Processed: mail1.multiplay.co.uk, Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:09:29 +0000 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.2.5 (2008-06-10) on mail1.multiplay.co.uk X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-5.0 required=6.0 tests=USER_IN_WHITELIST shortcircuit=ham autolearn=disabled version=3.2.5 Received: from r2d2 ([188.220.16.49]) by mail1.multiplay.co.uk (mail1.multiplay.co.uk [85.236.96.23]) (MDaemon PRO v10.0.4) with ESMTP id md50017587662.msg for ; Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:09:27 +0000 X-MDRemoteIP: 188.220.16.49 X-Return-Path: prvs=1363d33761=killing@multiplay.co.uk X-Envelope-From: killing@multiplay.co.uk X-MDaemon-Deliver-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Message-ID: From: "Steven Hartland" To: "John Kozubik" , References: Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:09:28 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=response Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5931 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.6157 Cc: Subject: Re: FreeBSD has serious problems with focus, longevity, and lifecycle X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:20:52 -0000 ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Kozubik" To: Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 10:28 PM Subject: FreeBSD has serious problems with focus, longevity, and lifecycle > > Friends, > > I was disappointed to see that 8.3-RELEASE is now slated to come out in > March of 2012. This will be ~13 months since 8.2-RELEASE and is typical > of a trend towards longer gaps between minor releases. ... I must say as a small company that runs ~200 machines on FreeBSD I do see where John is coming from, as it is very time consuming to keep things up to date and new is not always better e.g. we still have boxes stuck on 6.x as issues introduced in the Linux compat after that caused problems. That said I'm in two minds as the features that have been brought in by the more rapid dev cycle like ZFS have been great. Where I do see an issue is where it feels like we've just got to a solid 8.2 release with p6 and some addition patches we see things like em driver updates required to run newer hardware only in 9. While we might like to push everything to 9 it brings with it a large amount of untested changes like the HPN patches to core ssh which we have seen problems with under openssh-portable when tested. So this puts us in a dilemma, push to 9 and keep up to date or stick with 8.2 with custom patches while we wait for 8.3 which we know is good and assuming it has the patches need included in it? The correct answer for us is currently unknown and is still being debated, but in the mean time we are going to keep with 8.2 until we've had the chance to fully evaluate what 9 has to offer. Regards Steve ================================================ This e.mail is private and confidential between Multiplay (UK) Ltd. and the person or entity to whom it is addressed. In the event of misdirection, the recipient is prohibited from using, copying, printing or otherwise disseminating it or any information contained in it. In the event of misdirection, illegible or incomplete transmission please telephone +44 845 868 1337 or return the E.mail to postmaster@multiplay.co.uk.