Date: Mon, 02 Jun 2003 23:50:18 -0400 From: Jud <judmarc@fastmail.fm> To: Dan Piparo <dan@danworld.net>, questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: stable vs. release Message-ID: <oprp5994fx0cf2rk@fastmail.fm> In-Reply-To: <000801c3295c$73901ba0$6400a8c0@danworld> References: <000801c3295c$73901ba0$6400a8c0@danworld>
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On Mon, 2 Jun 2003 19:12:33 -0400, Dan Piparo <dan@danworld.net> wrote: > What is the real difference in running/compiling Stable src vs. Running > Freebsd Release version and just continually updating and building from > the ports? > > I have FreeBSD 4.8 Release installed now. Am I at great risk if I don't > upgrade to STABLE? Updating what and building from the ports? The ports "skeletons" can be updated by cvsup-ing; the applications themselves can then be updated by portupgrading, deinstalling/reinstalling, pkg_update, etc. As time goes on, however, if you do not update your base system it becomes more and more likely that some port will expect a newer version of some base system file than you have. Stable contains improvements, including security improvements, made since release that have undergone sufficient testing (often in the -current branch) to be merged into Stable. Because Stable accumulates changes from a Release build known to work, there is of course a greater chance (though not terribly great, thanks to the committers and core team) that something will be broken. There is also a more-stable-than-stable track, the "security branch," which contains only critical and security fixes since release. That would be on a CVS branch tagged RELENG_4_8 if it is available. If you decide to update the base system along with ports, cvsup them (base system RELENG_4 or RELENG_4_8, depending on whether you want the Stable or Security branch) and go through the "make world" procedure. Jud
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