[RFC] Why FreeBSD ports should have branches by OS version

[scratch65535 at att.net]

On Fri, 23 Jun 2017 00:36:19 +0200, Miroslav Lachman
<000.fbsd at quip.cz> wrote:

>scratch65535 at att.net wrote on 2017/06/23 00:15:
>> [Default] On Thu, 22 Jun 2017 16:11:26 -0500, Mark Linimon
>> <linimon at lonesome.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 12:32:45PM -0400, scratch65535 at att.net wrote:
>>>> My problem is that my industry experience tells me that reducing
>>>> the frequency of port releases is practically *guaranteed* to be
>>>> a Really Good Thing for everyone.
>>>
>>> I remember before we had the quarterly releases, and people on the
>>> mailing lists complained constantly about the ports bits only being
>>> available once per release, or rolling with -head.
>>
>> Mark, I can only suppose that those complainers are dilettantes
>> of some sort who believe that having The Latest-And-Greatest Bits
>> is a social-status enhancer.  **Nobody** with real work to do
>> ever willingly fools away time "fixing" what isn't broken.
>
>And this is where you are so wrong. Ports tree is never in the state 
>where everything works and has no bugs. (and cannot be, because 
>upstreams have bugs) Even if it compiles and installs it does not mean 
>that it is not broken and nobody needs newer version.
>Just because your needs are different than others doesn't mean others 
>are dilettantes.

How often have you bought all new versions of the software you
use, Miroslav, even though the versions you replaced still worked
fine?  I'd bet that you've never done that, and never will:
you're an adult, and have more important uses for your time and
money.   

How often do you look around your flat or house for something to
"fix" even though everthing works well enough?  I'd bet not
often, if ever -- you probably always have so much real work to
do that you worry you'll never get it all done if you live to be
120.

There are individuals who claim to "need" the latest Mercedes or
Ferrari, or a bigger yacht, or a chalet in Switzerland.  But that
kind of "need" isn't on the same level as someone's need for a
place to live, or a way to get to work, or medical care for their
kids.

Similarly, few people constantly "need" the latest software. Even
if the new release has a feature that will make their work
easier, the release after that one is not likely to have
*another* such feature.   Nearly all adults can do their
computer-based work just fine without ever having the
Latest-And-Greatest hardware and software.  Those who claim they
simply *must* always have bleeding-edge kit are kidding someone.
Or delusional.