Packages available for different FreeBSD versions

[Chris Stankevitz]

Andrew Gould wrote:
> Once you're installed a RELEASE, you can update it to STABLE by

Andrew,

Thank you for your helpful reply.  Please tell me if you think I have 
the correct understanding:

When I install FreeBSD, I am installing a "core operating system version 
number" (your term).  Then I may choose to install the "ports" as either 
"STABLE" or "CURRENT" neither of which is associated with any "core 
operating system version number".  From this point on, all application 
updates will arrive via "ports" .

A question:

Imaging one person installs FreeBSD-6.4 RELEASE and updates to STABLE 
ports.  Another installs FreeBSD-7.2 RELEASE and also updates to STABLE 
ports.  Are there any applications that the FreeBSD-6.4 person cannot 
install (e.g. the latest apache or VirtualBox)?  If so, by what 
mechanism is he prevented?  What are the repercussions of never updating 
the "core operating system version number"?

FYI my experience is with Gentoo which as no "core operating system 
version number".  All system  updates come from "portage" (like your ports).

 > ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/
 >
 > They are arranged by computer architecture and release number.  There
 > are also stable directories for certain releases.

Thank you for providing this.  It raises two questions:

1. If the STABLE ports tree is not associated with a "core operating 
system version number", why are there two directories for STABLE packages:

ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/amd64/packages-6-stable/
ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/amd64/packages-7-stable/

2. What is the difference between these two?
ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/amd64/packages-7.2-release/
ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/amd64/packages-7-stable/

My guess:
The first is the packages that were made available in the 7.2 RELEASE CDs.

The second is a directory that is re-created every 5 minutes by updating 
the ports collection and compiling all the applications in it.

Thank you for your help!

Chris