release cycle

[Bruce A. Mah]

If memory serves me right, Colin Percival wrote:
> Bruce A. Mah wrote:
>> We've done point releases in the past but only in cases where there were
>> severe problems and/or regressions with released versions.  Look at the
>> announcements and release notes for 4.6.2-RELEASE and
>> 5.2.1-RELEASE...these were the two most recent instances where we did
>> this.  There's a reason for this...it's a lot of effort.
>>
>> Folks should realize that making a new release (even a new point
>> release) is not just a matter of tagging the tree and typing "make
>> release".  We (re@) need to figure out exactly what bugs are to be
>> fixed, get the changes merged and tested, build at least one release
>> candidate, get that tested, and finally build a set of RELEASE bits and
>> push them out.
> 
> I point releases have been obsoleted by errata notices.  In the past when
> X.Y.Z-RELEASE has happened, it has been because of critical bugs in the
> X.Y-RELEASE which there wasn't any other mechanism to fix.  Now that we
> have errata noticed and FreeBSD Update is in the base system, it's vastly
> easier for users to run "freebsd-update fetch install" than it is for them
> to upgrade to a new release.

That's a good point.  I'd be happy if we never had to do another point
release again, since we have to do probably half the work of a normal
release cycle but it's completely unexpected and unscheduled.

BTW I finally added some mention of freebsd-update(8) to the section of
the release notes that talks about upgrading FreeBSD.  Only on HEAD for
now, I'll put this on RELENG_6 when I get a Round Tuit.

>> PS.  This having been said I know there are some kernel fixes that were
>> candidates for errata against 6.2-RELEASE...I'm not sure what their
>> current state is.
> 
> Don't ask me, I just approve the errata which you send to me.  Which hasn't
> been anything at all lately. :-)

Ah no, we haven't sent you anything as of late, and that's the problem.  :-)

Bruce.

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