Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:45:11 +1000 (EST) From: Ian Smith <smithi@nimnet.asn.au> To: Jo Rhett <jrhett@netconsonance.com> Cc: freebsd-stable <freebsd-stable@freebsd.org>, Robert Watson <rwatson@freebsd.org>, "Simon L. Nielsen" <simon@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Upcoming Releases Schedule... Message-ID: <20080923163556.H76357@sola.nimnet.asn.au> In-Reply-To: <7FC02881-91A6-4A2B-B58F-A4D1671B9978@netconsonance.com> References: <1219409496.10487.22.camel@bauer.cse.buffalo.edu> <alpine.BSF.1.10.0809061159410.28840@fledge.watson.org> <2742CAB1-8FF2-425D-A3B6-0658D7DB8F4D@netconsonance.com> <alpine.BSF.1.10.0809162043380.64176@fledge.watson.org> <0C2C7E9B-61E3-4720-B76F-4745A3C963DA@netconsonance.com> <alpine.BSF.1.10.0809180022580.13100@fledge.watson.org> <658B8861-1E78-4767-8D3D-8B79CC0BD45F@netconsonance.com> <alpine.BSF.1.10.0809181935540.16464@fledge.watson.org> <15F15FD1-3C53-4018-8792-BC63289DC4C2@netconsonance.com> <448wtpcikb.fsf@be-well.ilk.org> <C096D142-4572-48DF-8CCA-053B41003A07@netconsonance.com> <alpine.BSF.1.10.0809191158330.40909@fledge.watson.org> <34C3D54B-C88C-4C36-B1FE-C07FC27F8CB5@netconsonance.com> <alpine.BSF.1.10.0809201102270.22368@fledge.watson.! org> <48D596AD.1070209@bgp4.net> <alpine.BSF.1.10.08092109525! 60.58772@fledge.watson.org> <7FC02881-91A6-4A2B-B58F-A4D1671B9978@netconsonance.com>
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On Mon, 22 Sep 2008, Jo Rhett wrote: > On Sep 21, 2008, at 1:57 AM, Robert Watson wrote: > > This is precisely what we already do -- we guarantee we will support the > > last release on a branch for 24 months after the release. The point of > > concern being discussed is that we can't tell you for sure which minor > > release will be the last release at the time that release goes out the > > door, because the extent to which we keep releasing on old branches depends > > in large part on how the new branch looks. > > I think you are using "last release" in a different way. "the last release" > is always the most release release. Right now 6.3 will have support for > longer than 6.4 will, which is the nature of the problem I raised. If you > always supported the most recent release for 24 months then we wouldn't have > any problem. Jo, it seems to be you who are trying to use "last" in an unusual way. The "last release on a branch" is not the latest one, but the last one. For 4.x that was .11 and for 5.x it was .5, where last means just that. > I mean seriously, if you were to say "We will support 6.4 for 24 months > *unless* we find it necessary to release 6.5 then I'd be totally happy. But > that's not what is being said. I believe that's exactly what has been said. rwatson@ and simon@ have both made it exceedingly clear, to me anyway, that if 6.4 is to be the last release on the 6.x branch - as appears to be likely but cannot be stated definitely at this time, for reasons clearly given and understood - then it will indeed be supported for 24 months. It doesn't seem reasonable to expect 24 months stated support for 6.4 if it turns out not to be the last release - that would then apply to 6.5. It also doesn't seem reasonable to expect that decision to be rushed in advance of the necessary evaluation of the success or otherwise of both 6.4 and 7.1 releases - especially when we're talking about these being only a month or so away anyway. While I do thank Robert and others for the level of patient detail gone into to explain all of this and other aspects of release and security engineering to you, me and everyone else, I rather hope re@ can be let alone to get on with the real work, beyond this 90+ message thread .. my 1.1%, Ian
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