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OpenBSD General Other questions regarding OpenBSD which do not fit in any of the categories below. |
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what maintenance is needed for -current?
Thanks Jgimmi for your always-interesting notes !
I'd appreciate it much if you could start a thread on what a current-box user should take care for at a regular basis .. things to check .. links to keep up with the current-goers pace .. etc .. I mean when you have time .. thanks again |
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http://www.daemonforums.org/showthre...2556#post42556 Last edited by ocicat; 16th February 2012 at 06:10 PM. |
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Planning for first time -current use
In another thread...
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Advantages to deploying -current:
There are two methods to staying -current: a) upgrade to a more recent snapshot, or b) Build from -current source code. While b) may appear to be at odds with the insistence on a binary installation/upgrade for initially reaching -current, keep in mind that a supported -release will always be at least two or three months behind -current, due to the development and deployment cycle. The number of architectural changes that may occur between -release completion and when it is available for installation make building -current from source on a -release platform sufficiently complex to be unsupportable by the Project.Required knowledge/skill:
So called "snapshot packages" for the popular architectures are built from time to time, and are available from your nearby mirror. But they will not be exactly in sync with the snapshot, and sometimes, install or update of some packages will fail. If you wish to install or update those packages, you will have to build them yourself, using a ports tree in sync with your OS. If you update from a snapshot, you may find the "-D date_spec" option for the cvs checkout command helpful to keep the ports tree in sync with your snapshot ... depending on the date the snapshot was built and the date of a -current tree. |
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While this comment may admittedly be off-topic when it comes to -current maintenance, it bears repetition.
It is very easy to get/stay in the mindset of "I'll just go out & download snapshots..." when dealing with updating/installing in the -current world, but this mindset can lead us to lose focus of the work the project developers are making. Development takes time & resources. As opposed to how many interpret Open Source as being free, someone is having to expend time & effort to write & test the software. It's not always cheap either. The OpenBSD project has no corporate sponsorship, so money for keeping the project Website going along with Theo's time has to come from somewhere. Although -current users tend to dismiss -release as being many months old, purchasing the official CD sets of -release is the predominant means by which the project funds itself. Sales of t-shirts & books helps, but the margin going to the project itself is highest when buying the official CD sets. Even if purchasing the CD sets means that they are simply going into a drawer, purchasing them helps the project stay viable. If you find OpenBSD to be useful, help support the project. Buying OpenBSD swag twice a year isn't that expensive. Open donations are also accepted: http://www.openbsd.org/donations.html Remember that the OpenBSD project is very small. There aren't as many users as other Open Source projects & securing enough funding to keep the project alive is an issue. Last edited by ocicat; 16th February 2012 at 07:55 PM. |
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Thank you, Ocicat.
I'd like to point out that we who give back to the Project do so in a variety of ways. Funding - always a critical need. Purchases of the CDs and monetary donations are two of the best ways for individuals users to contribute. Testing - I listed several types of testing as an advantage, above. But the advantage is two-way, since the Project also benefits. Ports testing is the easiest way for newer users to contribute technically. New ports are posted to the ports@ mailing list constantly, and your feedback to the port developer/maintainer would be deeply appreciated, whether it is formal or informal. Ports testing is easy -- there's even a Ports Testing Guide to help you. This is a low-cost way to contribute, as it costs you nothing but time. Hardware donation - There's always a need -- see http://www.openbsd.org/want.html for what developers are currently looking for. |
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Thank you Jgimmi ! very interesting points ..
I admit that I am still at odds with OpenBSD current due to my being a newcomer.. for instance lately my tor+polipo no longer work after the upgrade .. maybe it is related to libident .. I am starting to feel ashamed by posting several requests daily .. I'll try to find a solution first then come back to my teachers here .. [quote] but this mindset can lead us to lose focus of the work the project developers are making. [/quote/ Thanks Ocicat .. maybe you'd agree with me if I describe that phase as 'un mal necessaire' .. with time the contributer wouldn't lag behind as keeping up with the wheel's rhythm wouldn't be so challenging .. and yes .. donating .. or at least buying cds is a moral duty .. if not an esthetic necessity as well .. having those nice tshirts and daemon art in one's room .. cool .. |
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Another aspect of relying on snapshots tends to get forgotten by many.
Snapshots are not merely the system built from code in CVS. Snapshots can include code which is non-committed. The reason is because snapshots are targeted to the developers themselves. Sometimes it is simpler to disseminate new features for testing to a wider audience by including non-committed code in snapshots. No information is ever published on what non-committed code may exist in a particular snapshot. If this is of concern, one can always build the system according to information found in Section 5.3 of the FAQ. The method described there results in a system built exclusively from code checked into CVS. |
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A common mistake is to think that the ports tree can be obtained or downloaded long after a snapshot is installed. This is incorrect, & covered in Section 15.3.2 of the FAQ:
Quote:
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Q:
if something kept you away from your current-machine for 2 or 3 weeks .. coming back to it , what things should you first take care of ? in this case is building from source any better than snapshots ?? |
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Building without upgrading/installing to the latest snapshot is not supported. I got bit by this one quite some time ago. |
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Thanks Man ! with every post of yours I learn more !
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You do make regular backups, right? Those running -current should be taking such precautions when running newly developed code. Things happen. |
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