NetBSD-Users archive

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Old Index]

Re: releng: how to follow NetBSD-6 STABLE branch



Helge Mühlmeier <H_Muehlmeier%gmx.de@localhost> writes:

> If I understand the terminology right there are maintenance branches
> like netbsd-6.1 which will be forked from netbsd-6 if the releng-team
> think it is time for it...  netbsd-6 should be the same on that time
> stamp  (tag) but will differ in future because netbsd-6 will get
> minor features too (not only security fixes).

Almost.  netbsd-6-1 is rooted at the place on netbsd-6 where the 6.1
formal release is.   It gets only security fixes.   netbsd-6 gets a
larger category of fixes.

The real question is the degree of safety of following a branch, in
terms of getting good bugfixes and not getting problems.  The history of
NetBSD stable branches for a very long time is that for a normal use
computer (not a webserver for a bank, where you want a whole second copy
and to do exhaustive testing before upgrading the real one), it's safe
to update along netbsd-6, rebuild and reinstall, and reboot.  The odds
of having to recover are very small.  If you're ultraconservative, then
following netbsd-6-N (for the latest N) makes sense.  But most uses are
well served by the main stable branch.

See pkgsrc/sysutils/etcmanage for code to help with building and
updating.

Attachment: pgpw5N8oy32Ze.pgp
Description: PGP signature



Home | Main Index | Thread Index | Old Index