Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 18:13:18 +0100 From: Gerhard Sittig <Gerhard.Sittig@gmx.net> To: freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Updating FreeBSD (was: Bridging with 3C589D-COMBO on 4.2-RELEASE?) Message-ID: <20010315181318.Z20830@speedy.gsinet> In-Reply-To: <3AB037BB.EADF0432@babbleon.org>; from bts@babbleon.org on Wed, Mar 14, 2001 at 10:32:11PM -0500 References: <3AAC4C03.13000DE@babbleon.org> <3AAC4E83.2C281B90@babbleon.org> <15021.46309.150521.925816@nomad.yogotech.com> <3AADBAB8.36039542@babbleon.org> <20010313104711.B6592@pir.net> <3AAF047F.341981B2@babbleon.org> <20010314194326.X20830@speedy.gsinet> <3AB037BB.EADF0432@babbleon.org>
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On Wed, Mar 14, 2001 at 22:32 -0500, The Babbler wrote:
>
> I think I'm having a cultural/linguistic problem.
>
> In Linux, there is is a "stable" version and a "development"
> version, but even the "stable" version is less stable than the
> released version if you catch it between releases.
That's not the whole truth (as I understand it, but yes I've been
running Linux since '92). What you call the "stable" and "devel"
version above seems to be the kernel only! Looking at the
Documentation/ directory and especially the Changes file there's
a whole lot of userland tools the *user/admin* has to keep in
sync when upgrading. And it's quite easy to get the dependencies
wrong and render your system unusable by doing things in the
wrong order.
That's when distributions come into play doing all of this for
the user. But the next problem is that there's so many of them
and graticious(id?) differences make work a hell unnecessarily.
> I'm starting to "get it" that this is not the case with
> FreeBSD, so I'll check the FreeBSD handbook and find out how to
> upgrade in the middle of a release cycle and and see if that
> clears up some of the trouble . . .
The difference between Linux and FreeBSD in this respect is that
tracking -STABLE provides you with much an easier way of getting
a complete suite of software fitting perfectly together. Under
the assumption that you read and follow UPDATING and scan the
-stable mailing list for "HEADS UP" notices.
The base system is one fine tuned collection of the kernel and
essential tools plus basic services, while the ports system
mostly brings independent apps for your comfort and pleasure.
IMO it's less troublesome to upgrade in FreeBSD land. How to do
it is described in the online doc on your disk and on the project
servers as well as discussed on an almost regular basis in the
list (about once a month) ...
I recommend you read the Handbook chapters on how to track
-STABLE and use the release of 4.3 to get up to date.
virtually yours 82D1 9B9C 01DC 4FB4 D7B4 61BE 3F49 4F77 72DE DA76
Gerhard Sittig true | mail -s "get gpg key" Gerhard.Sittig@gmx.net
--
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