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Date:      Thu, 30 Mar 2000 08:31:34 +0200
From:      Martin Cracauer <cracauer@cons.org>
To:        C J Michaels <cjm2@earthling.net>
Cc:        freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Let 3.x die ASAP?
Message-ID:  <20000330083133.A23540@cons.org>
In-Reply-To: <NDBBILKDCLLECBCLPMBICEBJCAAA.cjm2@earthling.net>; from cjm2@earthling.net on Wed, Mar 29, 2000 at 08:54:34PM -0500
References:  <Pine.BSF.3.96.1000329145706.13503A-100000@omnix.net> <NDBBILKDCLLECBCLPMBICEBJCAAA.cjm2@earthling.net>

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You're summary is a bad one at least as my attributions are concerned.
I don't care for "sexy" branches, I just don't want want to maintain
*three* branch-tracking machines and the other developers seem to
think on the same line.  It doesn't really matter whether that
3.x-untested symptom already affected 3.4, it will for sure affect
every 3.x work after the creation of RELENG_4.

I'm an idiot I even started the thread, shooting an already dead CD
release of 3.5, but I didn't know that.  I think my summary is better
that the way things turned out is not only a good compromise but make
most people happy.

In <NDBBILKDCLLECBCLPMBICEBJCAAA.cjm2@earthling.net>, C J Michaels wrote: 
> Ok, I'm sorry if this is long, and off topic for the list, this will be my
> only posting.  I've condensed all of my replies to this discussion into this
> one message, so please skim through the whole thing.
> 
> ===== Didier (and others):
> I for one, have been running 3.x-STABLE since it came out.  I have had _1_
> kernel panic in that whole time, and that kernel panic was _my_ fault.  I
> have had nothing but stability with my 3.x-STABLE system.  You'll find that
> there are MANY people who have had nothing but stability from their
> 3.X-STABLE systems.
> 
> Judging the stability of 3.x by the postings in this list is inaccurate.
> The purpose of this list is to help with problems/questions/etc...  Of
> course people aren't going to post daily "my 3.x system works great,
> thanks!".  It's a waste of bandwidth.
> 
> You're complaining that a given release of 3.x isn't stable, but yet you
> complain that it is in constant development.  If a given release of -STABLE
> has a genuine stability issue, it gets fixed, and committed.  So yes it is
> constantly developing.  Would you prefer that bug fixes were just boxed up
> and released only once a year?  Would you prefer that they were not fixed at
> all?
> 
> There are several small points that several people in this discussion need
> to come to terms with:
>    1. No OS is ever 100% bug free.  It's not humanly possible.
>    2. STABLE != STATIC.  Given #1 -STABLE needs to be in a constant state of
> change because as bugs are found, they are fixed and committed.  This
> doesn't mean untested developmental code, just (mainly) fixes.
>    3. -CURRENT is where the new and developmental code goes.  It is a
> testing ground for new features and developements, it is not for those
> looking for stability.
>    4. No one is forcing anyone to do anything.  If you are happy with 2.1.2
> then keep running it.  If your 3.2-BETA is as solid as a rock, keep running
> it.  If you install an x.0 release of _ANY_ software and expect it to be
> perfect in every way, you are deluding yourself.
> 
> ===== Developers:
> Yes, this is a FREE OS, that is FREEly available, and is developed (mainly)
> by people giving their FREE time.  Despite that, if 90% of users want the
> log messages in pig-latin, but the core team feels it's a stupid idea, how
> do you think users will react?  They will eventually find an OS that allow
> them to have log messages in pig-latin.  Just shrugging your shoulders and
> saying "The OS is FREE, so deal with it" isn't going to keep that user base
> around.
> 
> 
> ===== Martin:
> An addendum to the above note.  I realize that developement on the 3.x
> branch many not be interesting or exciting anymore, and you would like to
> move on.  You do need to consider your users here as well.  It stands to
> reason that a good number of active FreeBSD users are still on the 3.x
> branch.  I would venture to guess more than 50%.  When I say active, I do
> not mean those people that are still running 2.2.x on a production machine
> that hasn't been rebootedn 2 years.
> 
> Do you truly expect the majority (50% or more) of said users to jump to 4.0
> as soon as it's released?  Just because someone (anyone) says it's good.  I
> realize that 4.0 is probably one of the most stable x.0 releases of ANYTHING
> in the world (I've read Jordan's posts).  But it's still a x.0 release, and
> shouldn't (in my mind) hold the title of -STABLE until the shake down
> leading up to 4.1.  Until such time 3.x-STABLE should be actively supported.
> If you force people down a path they don't want to go, they will resist.
> You will be driving more people away than you will be helping.
> 
> =====
> Please don't take this as a complaint, just a comment.  I am very happy with
> the direction FreeBSD is going right now and actively promote it.  For the
> record I am running 3.4-STABLE on my "production" machine and am currenlty
> playing/learning/testing/beating/breaking RELENG_4 on a spare machine.  I
> may move to 4.x before 4.1 comes out, I may not, only time will tell.
> 
> -Chris
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG
> [mailto:owner-freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG]On Behalf Of Didier Derny
> Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2000 10:14 AM
> To: Jordan K. Hubbard
> Cc: Martin Cracauer; freebsd-stable@FreeBSD.ORG
> Subject: Let 3.x die ASAP?
> 
> 
> 
> the problem is really simple, I' WORKING with FreeBSD not PLAYING
> you are like 3 years boys you are trowing their old toys each time
> they have an new one.
> 
> I can't an many people can't upgrade the system on their machine
> at the actual rythm of FreeBSD version (each one supposed to be the best
> one and solve most of the problems :-))) )
> 
> without a real stability (like the one with 2.x) this product
> has no more value than linux or solaris, sco...
> 
> even If I have a great hope for FreeBSD 4.x, I consider that actually
> 4.0 is just bullshit (I mean a developper's toy but I wanted a strong
> word [perhaps too strong I fear]) and you are already
> throwing the old one (3.x).
> 
> A I told you before, I'm preparing a way to be able to choose between
> FreeBSD and something else (netbsd, openbsd, linux...) but not before
> next year.
> 
> perhaps that the abandon of FreeBSD 3.x is simply the first effect
> of what I was saying in my previous mails ?
> 
>   +-----------+
>   |           |
>   |  FreeBSD  |
>   |    RIP    |
>   |           |
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> --
> Didier Derny
> didier@omnix.net
> 
> 
> On Wed, 29 Mar 2000, Jordan K. Hubbard wrote:
> 
> > I thought the end came for you after you started spreading the FUD the
> > last time.  As Winston Churchill said to Neville Chamberlain after
> > his highly successful trip to Munich:  "For god's sake man, GO!"
> >
> > - Jordan
> >
> 
> 
> 
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-- 
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