FreeBSD Update is the binary update solution [Re: HEADS UP: Release schedule for 2006]

[Peter Jeremy]

On Thu, 2006-Jan-05 01:37:27 -0800, Jo Rhett wrote:
>No.  I want a binary update mechanism.  Obviously if we have local
>configuration options we'll have to compile our own binaries.  But doing
>the work of tracking system updates currently requires us to build our own
>patch tracking mechanism, and then re-write it for every new release.

If you're willing to do your own compiles:
1) CVSup or cvs update to whatever branch you want
2) make build{world,kernel}
3) make DESTDIR=/updates install{world,kernel}
4) mergemaster -D /updates
5) rsync or similar

It seems fairly obvious that you are frustrated by FreeBSD's inability
to meet your needs as far as updating is concerned.  I suspect I'm not
alone in being uncertain exactly what your requirements are and what
additional features FreeBSD needs to satisfy you.  How would you like
to write a formal requirements specification and post it here (or in
-arch).

>It's not a recompile issue.  It's a tracking/update/backout issue.  I don't
>mind recompiling, if I could somehow push the updates to all the right
>systems and they would have it stored somewhere that they were patched...

Have you looked at tools like Bcfg2 ( http://www.mcs.anl.gov/cobalt/bcfg2/ )?

-- 
Peter Jeremy