> > thanks Jerry for this detailed reply. i really appreciate it. > > from what you have said i think 4.9 might be indicated. > > but i have one more question. device drivers. > > i have kind of bleeding edge sound and ethernet cards. > in fact i've already had to put in an older NIC to get 5.1 > to work as-is. i haven't tackled the on-motherboard sound > card problem yet. > > but i know freeBSD drivers are kind of behind (compared to windoz) > so would it be harder to get a bleeding driver for 4.9 than 5.2.1?
Well, actually, FreeBSD is mostly up-to-date on drivers. But, there are some that are available only in 5.xx. That is one of those things that would be a feature only in 5.xx - my number 2 question in my discussion. There are supported hardware lists on the FreeBSD web site. If you look at the main home page http://www.freebsd.org/ you will see over on the right two releases listed. Under each there is a link for Hardware Notes. Check those. When it comes to video cards and mouse, you need to check the XFree86 web site for those compatibilities. That is: http://www.xfree86.org/ ////jerry > > tks. > > lee > > > Jerry McAllister wrote: > > >>I hesitate to ask this because it sounds stupid. > >> > >>I went down to the tech book store and bought freeBSD on CD's. > >>it happened to be 5.1. > >>I, a neophyte, assumed it was "kosher". > >> > >>I bought it and installed it on 2 machines and pretty much ok so far. > >>Now I've been reading about the STABLE and CURRENT branches > >>and cvsup and all other kinds of "keeping up". > >> > >> > > > >Unfortunately, by the time a book with CD gets published and all > >the way through the distribution chain to a bookstore, the next > >version is likely to be nearly out or already out. The CD is good > >for getting started learning about FreeBSD, but is probably old > >enough that you wouldn't want to use that version for a production > >server. > > > >So, you can install it and use cvsup to upgrade everything to the > >latest - probably a good learning exercise anyway. Or, you can > >play around with it enough to become familiar and then download > >the latest mini-ISO and start over from scratch - also a good learning > >exercise. > > > > > > > >>What I want is production boxs with of course bug fix and > >>security upgrades, but not needing always the latest app releases. > >> > >> > > > >If you are running production servers, the general word is that > >you might still want to stick with 4.xx and 4.9 is the latest > >release of the 4.xx branch. > > > >The 5.xx branch was begun to allow work on some significant and > >non-compatible changes to the system. (not everything is non-compatible, > >but some things are) Major development work is being done on the 5.xx > >branch, but the 4.xx branch continues to be upgraded, mostly now with > >bug and security fixes, but occasionaly with improved features. > > > >This will continue until the 5.xx branch is deemed solid and bullet proof > >as far as they can tell and that the new features are complete and > >everything works together. Then regular development on the 4.x branch > >will be discontinued. _Only_ security fixes and _major_ bug fixes > >will be applied to the 4.xx branch. Development of features, bug > >fixes and security fixes will then continue on the 5.xx branch, but > >not major non-compatible feature changes. It will be considered stable > >and a new branch - 6.xx will sprout which is just the latest (at that > >time) 5.xx reopened for major changes and renamed a 6.xx branch. After > >that time there will (may) be feature additions to 5.xx, as now with 4.xx, > >but those are expected to not introduce non-compatible changes. Of > >course, bug fixes and security fixes will continue to be applied as > >they will to all branches that are still being supported. The 4.xx > >branch would be supported for a while in that manner, along with 5.xx. > >In a year or two, 4.xx would no longer be supported and no longer > >get any fixes although you might be able to still apply some fixes > >with a little tinkering. > > > >There are some comments on possible 5.xx flaws in the EMail lists. > >Search the archives. The FreeBSD web site Release notes & etc > >have notes on what new features are available in 5.xx. > > > >The long and short of it is that which one you install right at this > >moment should be either 4.9 or 5.2.1 (whether you get there from > >scratch or cvsupping) and the choice depends on > > 1: is your production environment critical such that an unexpected > > flaw in the new 5.xx branch would severly hurt you. > > 2: Do you really need some feature in 5.2 that is unavailable in 4.xx. > > > >If it is yes to 1 and no to 2, then install 4.9. > >If it is no to 1 and no to 2, then it is a coin flip. Maybe 5.2.1 just > > to get in to the future or 4.9 for ease in installation and configuration. > >If it is no to 1 and yes to 2, then install 5.2.1 > > > >////jerry > > > > > > > >>I've tried to grok the release engineering and all but I don't get it. > >>I'm going to put freeBSD on 2 other machines as well, > >>but don't know whether > >>to install 4.9, use my 5.1 CD's (and then presumably have to > >>go to 5.2 + ??? to keep up?), 5.2 or what. Not to mention the > >>2 already installed. > >> > >>I want to keep all 4 machines pretty much in synch. > >> > >>thanks for any clarification i can get on: > >> 1. which is best "production" version > >> 2. what is best essential upkeep mechanism (not so much for apps > >> but for bug fixes in OS and security fixes/patches on essential stuff > >> like OpenSsh) > >> > >>thanks much........... > >> > >>lee > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>_______________________________________________ > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list > >>http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > >>To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]"
