x.0 RELASE isn't for production.

[Pavel Timofeev]

That's what most people think.

Hi!

I would like to say that most freebsd users don't try CURRENT, but try
BETAs-x, RCs-x.
Why? Because most users don't like compile new kernel and world. It's
tediously.
You need to download a CURRENT snapshot iso, to install, csup, and then to
build kernel and world.
FreeBSD project builds CURRENT snapshot every month, but not always. And
this volatility is bad.
Month is a big period. Very big, imo. For example, 10 day period would be
great!

And when BETA/RC time comes users rush like mad to test it. And they find
errors and bugs. Writing PR, emails and even !pathes!
But the lion's share of these pathes doesn't get into the coming BETA or RC.
Maintainers say "I don't have time [to test it]" or "It's too late".
Why is it late? I'm talking about only BUGS (PRs with pathes), not new
features. Let's users test it! In coming BETA/RC. Where are we in a hurry?
The BETAs and RCs exists for finding BUGS in coming RELEASE! It's the only
purpose of it.
Of cause pathes would be commited after x.0 RELEASE to x.1 STABLE.
Because of this situation most people says "x.0 RELASE isn't for
production."

All the above applies only to the opening of a new STABLE branch, 9 for this
time.
I think we hurry. Imo, BETA/RC period for !NEW! STABLE branch should be
longer. Six months, for example.
New STABLE branch is very important!