Date: 17 Mar 97 13:04:03 -0600 From: "Richard Wackerbarth" <rkw@dataplex.net> To: "Warner Losh" <imp@village.org> Cc: stable@freebsd.org Subject: Re: -current and -stable mailing lists Message-ID: <AF52F1C8-1406646@204.69.236.50>
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On Mon, Mar 17, 1997 12:25 PM, Warner Losh <mailto:imp@village.org> wrote: >In message <Pine.BSF.3.95q.970317103846.233A-100000@X2296> Tim Vanderhoek >writes: >: I'm not sure how much interpretation is necessary. There >: are three concurrent branches. -STABLE, -RELEASE, and >: -CURRENT. All three of these branches are, in fact, >: _current_. The problem is introduced when people confuse >: "current" with -CURRENT. > >The -stable branch isn't very current wrt bug fixes and the like. >There have been long periods of time when it was woefully neglected, It might no be in that condition if "the powers" had not been so hell-bent on discarding it back at 2.1.5. >and it is time to admit that it is mature, and move on to 2.2. We'll >be doing our users a disservice if we keep encouraging them to use >old, moldy software. In a month or so, I will totally agree. However, I do not feel that I can, in good faith, recommend something which has received only minimal exposure testing for those who need stability. It is often better to live with the know problems than it is to venture into the unknown. For the "hobby" user, I definitely agree that we should encourage them to try 2.2. It is ready for the larger audience which can provide the validation needed for it to progress through the product life cycle. IMHO, many of the people active in the development are too ready to discard something well established for the "latest thing", even though it is has not yet been adequately tested and, in many cases, provides a particular user with no bottom line benefit. Compare FreeBSD to a new automobile. How many test phases do you think it must successfully pass before it ever gets to the showroom floor?
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