HEADS UP: Release schedule for 2006

[Gary Kline]

On Fri, Dec 16, 2005 at 12:04:05AM -0700, Scott Long wrote:
> All,
> 
> The following is the approximate schedule for FreeBSD releases in 2006:
> 
> Jan 30: Freeze RELENG_5 and RELENG_6
> Mar 20: Release FreeBSD 6.1
> Apr  3: Release FreeBSD 5.5
> Jun 12: Freeze RELENG_6
> Jul 31: Release FreeBSD 6.2
> Oct 23: Freeze RELENG_6
> Dec 11: Release FreeBSD 6.3
> 
> A 'freeze' means that the tree will be closed to changes except with
> specific approval, and the focus will be on producing, testing, and
> fixing release candidates.  The release dates are targets that we hope
> to make, but we will continue with the policy of only releasing once
> all of the showstoppers are cleared, i.e. we will release when it is
> ready.
> 
> FreeBSD 5
> 5.5 will be the final release from the RELENG_5 tree.  We are doing it
> to provide support for users who have committed to FreeBSD 5 and who
> need more time to transition to FreeBSD 6.  However, in order to keep
> forward progress with FreeBSD 6, we will produce this in parallel with
> the 6.1 release, and thus it will not be our main focus.  Users who are
> using FreeBSD 5 are strongly encouraged to evaluate FreeBSD 6.  After
> this final release, the security team will provide security update
> support through 2007.

	Sounds like an ambitious schedule...  All  my FBSD servers 
	are at least up to 5.3; my laptop is happy at 5.4.  I have
	what I believe to be a rationalquestion.  Why should I go
	beyond v5.5?  More to the point, why can't minor security 
	tweaks be maintained indefinitely for 5.5?  What will 
	releases -6 and -7 offer that can;t reasonably be dropped
	into -5?

	gary


-- 
   Gary Kline     kline at thought.org   www.thought.org     Public service Unix