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diff --git a/share/doc/handbook/current.sgml b/share/doc/handbook/current.sgml deleted file mode 100644 index 906885e..0000000 --- a/share/doc/handbook/current.sgml +++ /dev/null @@ -1,162 +0,0 @@ -<!-- $Id: current.sgml,v 1.20 1997/05/02 14:15:34 jfieber Exp $ --> -<!-- The FreeBSD Documentation Project --> - - -<sect><heading>Staying current with FreeBSD<label id="current"></heading> - -<p><em>Contributed by &a.jkh;.</em> - -<!-- - - THE FREEBSD CURRENT POLICY - -Last updated: $Date: 1997/05/02 14:15:34 $ - -This document attempts to explain the rationale behind -FreeBSD-current, what you should expect should you decide to run it, -and states some prerequisites for making sure the process goes as -smoothly as possible. ---> - -<sect1><heading>What is FreeBSD-current?</heading> - -<p>FreeBSD-current is, quite literally, nothing more than a daily -snapshot of the working sources for FreeBSD. These include work in -progress, experimental changes and transitional mechanisms that may or -may not be present in the next official release of the software. -While many of us compile almost daily from FreeBSD-current sources, -there are periods of time when the sources are literally un-compilable. -These problems are generally resolved as expeditiously as possible, -but whether or not FreeBSD-current sources bring disaster or greatly -desired functionality can literally be a matter of which part of any -given 24 hour period you grabbed them in! - -Under certain circumstances we will sometimes make binaries for parts -of FreeBSD-current available, but only because we are interested in -getting something tested, not because we are in the business of -providing binary releases of current. If we do not offer, please do not -ask! It takes far too much time to do this as a general task. - -<sect1><heading>Who needs FreeBSD-current?</heading> - -<p>FreeBSD-current is made generally available for 3 primary interest groups: -<enum> - <item> Members of the FreeBSD group who are actively working on some - part of the source tree and for whom keeping `current' is an - absolute requirement. - - <item> Members of the FreeBSD group who are active testers, - willing to spend time working through problems in order to - ensure that FreeBSD-current remains as sane as possible. These - are also people who wish to make topical suggestions on changes - and the general direction of FreeBSD. - - <item> Peripheral members of the FreeBSD (or some other) group who merely - wish to keep an eye on things and use the current sources for - reference purposes (e.g. for <em>reading</em>, not running). These - people also make the occasional comment or contribute code. -</enum> - -<sect1><heading>What is FreeBSD-current <em>NOT</em>?</heading> - -<p><enum> - <item> A fast-track to getting pre-release bits because you heard there is - some cool new feature in there and you want to be the first on - your block to have it. - - <item> A quick way of getting bug fixes. - - <item> In any way ``officially supported'' by us. - - We do our best to help people genuinely in one of the 3 - ``legitimate'' FreeBSD-current categories, but we simply <em>do not - have the time</em> to provide tech support for it. - This is not because we are mean and nasty people who do not like - helping people out (we would not even be doing FreeBSD if we were), - it is literally because we cannot answer 400 messages a day - <em>and</em> actually work on FreeBSD! I am sure that, if given - the choice between having us answer lots of questions or continuing to - improve FreeBSD, most of you would vote for us improving it. -</enum> - -<sect1><heading>Using FreeBSD-current</heading> - -<p><enum> <item> Join the &a.current and the &a.cvsall . - This is not just a good idea, it is <em>essential</em>. - If you are not on the <em>FreeBSD-current</em> mailing list you - will not see the comments that people are making about the - current state of the system and thus will probably end up stumbling - over a lot of problems that others have already found and - solved. Even more importantly, you will miss out on - potentially critical information (e.g. ``Yo, Everybody! - Before you rebuild <tt>/usr/src</tt>, you <em>must</em> - rebuild the kernel or your system will crash horribly!"). - - The <em>cvs-all</em> mailing list will allow you to see the commit log - entry for each change as it is made along with any pertinent - information on possible side-effects. - - To join these lists, send mail to &a.majordomo and specify: -<verb> -subscribe freebsd-current -subscribe cvs-all -</verb> - In the body of your message. Optionally, you can also say `help' - and Majordomo will send you full help on how to subscribe and - unsubscribe to the various other mailing lists we support. - - <item> Grab the sources from ftp.FreeBSD.ORG. You can do this in - three ways: - - <enum> - <item> Use the <ref id="ctm" name="CTM"> facility. Unless you - have a good TCP/IP connection at a flat rate, this is - the way to do it. - - <item> Use the <ref id="cvsup" name="cvsup"> program with - <url url="ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current/src/share/examples/cvsup/standard-supfile" name="this supfile">. - This is the second most recommended method, since it allows - you to grab the entire collection once and then only what has - changed from then on. Many people run cvsup from cron - and keep their sources up-to-date automatically. - - <item> Use ftp. The source tree for FreeBSD-current is always - "exported" on: - <htmlurl url="ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.ORG/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current" - name="ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.ORG/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current"> - We also use `wu-ftpd' which allows compressed/tar'd grabbing - of whole trees. e.g. you see: -<verb> - usr.bin/lex -</verb> - You can do: -<verb> - ftp> cd usr.bin - ftp> get lex.tar.Z -</verb> - And it will get the whole directory for you as a compressed - tar file. - </enum> - - <item> Essentially, if you need rapid on-demand access to the source and - communications bandwidth is not a consideration, use cvsup or ftp. - Otherwise, use CTM. - - <item> If you are grabbing the sources to run, and not just look at, - then grab <em>all</em> of current, not just selected portions. The - reason for this is that various parts of the source depend on - updates elsewhere, and trying to compile just a subset is almost - guaranteed to get you into trouble. - - <item> Before compiling current, read the Makefile in /usr/src - carefully. You should at least run a `make world' the first time - through as part of the upgrading process. - Reading the &a.current will keep you up-to-date on other - bootstrapping procedures that sometimes become necessary as we move - towards the next release. - - <item> Be active! If you are running FreeBSD-current, we want to know - what you have to say about it, especially if you have suggestions - for enhancements or bug fixes. Suggestions with accompanying code - are received most enthusiastically! -</enum> |
