That age old question again

[Bill Moran]

Robert Chalmers <robert.a.chalmers at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Not quite but close.
> On the front page of FreeBSD.org, is the download links for
> LATEST RELEASES
>   a.. Production Release 7.0
> Which I'm assuming is the latest, and commercially useable version.
> 
> Now I still find the situation of CURRENT, STABLE as they relate to RELEASE 
> slightly confusing, and no amount of description seems to clear it up.

What's so confusing?

CURRENT = pure development branch for major new features ... i.e. will
          become 8.0 eventually.
STABLE = development to the next minor release ... 7-STABLE will become
         7.1 eventually, and 6-STABLE will eventually become 6.4

> Ok, I understand CURRENT is developmental, and becomes the next major 
> version as stated below. So the next major version is the one on the 
> website? Release 7.0 - or, 7.0-RELEASE ...yes/no?

CURRENT will become 8.0 when it hits release.  Probably in a few years.

> Then 7.0-STABLE continues the work to be the bugfix/security blah blah tree.
> 
> The question I have is:  For the Production Release shown above - 
> 7.0-RELEASE, what is the cvsup tag to keep this version updated ??

You want RELENG_7_0 for bugfixes/security fixes for production systems.

You only want STABLE or CURRENT if you're testing the next version, assisting
with development, or need a feature before it's officially released.

-- 
Bill Moran
http://www.potentialtech.com