> OK, Obviously I didn't realize that. If I understand you correctly, 
> 1.5.1_ALPHA is sort of a snapshot of current... except it's actually 
> a branch which you're continuously updating with patches from 
> current. After a bit of thought it makes sense...

Not quite, but pretty close.  Roughly:  -current is the primary
thread of development.  When a release is prepared, we mark a point
on that thread of development and create a "branch" from that point
named for the release.  In the most recent case, this branch was
called "netbsd-1-5".  As changes are made to -current, we classify
them either as new functionality or as bug fixes.  Bug fixes are
candidates for being "pulled up" into the release branch, too, but
new functionality or "large" changes are not candidates.  This branch
is eventually marked for release.

The sup collection is pointed at sources from -current and at least
one of the release branches.  I think it's being revamped somewhat
now that we have two more-or-less active release branches (1.4.x and
1.5.x).

> So "current" will soon actually be current?

Probably.  "current" usually follows the release for a little
while--partly to help encourage more testing of the release
branch.

For CVS, specifically anonymous CVS for NetBSD, you can start
with http://www.netbsd.org/Documentation/current/#using-anoncvs

-allen

-- 
 Allen Briggs                     briggs@wasabisystems.com
 http://www.wasabisystems.com/    Quality NetBSD CDs, Sales, Support, Service