Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 02:38:54 -0500 From: "Jeffrey J. Mountin" <jeff-ml@mountin.net> To: "Yann Sommer" <yann@yann.de> Cc: stable@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Why not stick with [STABLE] [Was: RE: Releases] Message-ID: <4.3.2.20010410012424.02b2f580@207.227.119.2> In-Reply-To: <BPEHKNFLJKCIDDNDIOAKKEOCCCAA.yann@yann.de>
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At 08:18 PM 4/9/01 -0700, Yann Sommer wrote: >Heya all, > >I've been following this thread with some extra attention, since I remember >beeing new to FreeBSD and complaining about a dedicated Server I ordered, >running BETA. It is just, as has been mentioned a few times before on this >list, against what other programms use for version naming. >But, in my humble opinion I think the easiest solution has not been >mentioned here before. Why not just suffix the old version description to >stable, like: > >4.3-STABLE-BETA >4.3-STABLE-RC >4.3-STABLE-FINAL The last is really 4.3-RELEASE or would it be 4.4-RELEASE, which opens up one more thing to confuse some. Mind I'm used to current naming. >or something in that direction. The essential word "STABLE" which gives the >newer users the trust in a system (allthough it's kind of stupid after >knowing the exact naming, but heh, nobody gets born with all knowledge ;), >and at the same time sticks with the naming BSD users are used to. Fact is what friggin difference does make what the build calls itself. Those that track the RELENG_4 branch should know that it doesn't matter what it calls itself when doing a uname, it is the same branch at different points or periods of time. The concept of how the naming is done is not an issue and cannot be solved by using a different or modified scheme. Rather the documentation should cover this. Just a matter of explaining what each period means in the handbook and/or/both the FAQ... When running -stable normally 'uname -r' will return a version such as 4.2-STABLE, which means the system is running code post 4.2-RELEASE. During the code freeze prior to the release of version 4.3 the name will change to 4.3-BETA, followed by 4.3-RC, and at a certain time a revision tag will be laid down and called 4.3-RELEASE. And a matter of minutes after that Jordan will change it over to 4.3-STABLE and the free-for-all will start anew. A chart might allow for a better visualization of the development cycle of a branch, noting the revision tags and what the system calls itself (found in src/sys/conf/newvers.sh for those that don't know). Would say cvsup.html is a good place for a quick note and somewhere else a chart explaining the development cycle that also show what the system will call itself at that point. Say an additional FAQ entry Then again if anyone perpetuating this thread had bothered to pay attention to the list (RYFM) and check out Nik's last message would know about: http://www.freebsd.org/FAQ/book.html#RELEASE-CANDIDATE and might find: http://www.freebsd.org/FAQ/book.html#STABLE Think that covers it... Don't forget to thank those working on the documentation for this solution and offer help if you are not happy with the way things are or praise if you are happy. There is a list for that hint-hint, so we need not do nothing more than point it out the next time this comes up and not bother to continue this discussion. Happy reading! Jeff Mountin - jeff@mountin.net Systems/Network Administrator FreeBSD - the power to serve To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-stable" in the body of the message
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