Re: releng: how to follow NetBSD-6 STABLE branch

["J. Lewis Muir" <jlmuir%imca-cat.org@localhost>]

On 5/14/14, 5:14 PM, Helge Mühlmeier wrote:
> If I understand the terminology right there are maintenance branches
> like netbsd-6.1 which will be forked from netbsd-6 if the releng-team
> think it is time for it... netbsd-6 should be the same on that time
> stamp (tag) but will differ in future because netbsd-6 will get minor
> features too (not only security fixes).
>
> Am I right?

Hi, Helge.

(I'm new to NetBSD, so I could be mistaken.  If I am, hopefully an
experienced NetBSD user can correct me.)

I think you're mixing the names of branches with the CVS branch tag
names; they're not the same.  You mention "netbsd-6": that's a CVS
branch tag name.  However, you also mention "netbsd-6.1": that's *not* a
CVS branch tag name.

> I want to follow the most recent version of netbsd-6 on my computer.
> I guess there should be a NetBSD-6_STABLE if I build a distribution
> and kernel from those source (tag = netbsd-6).

If by "netbsd-6" you mean the CVS branch tagged "netbsd-6", then that's
obviously what you're following.  The problem may be that perhaps that's
not actually what you want.

The CVS branch tagged "netbsd-6" is referred to as a "stable" branch and
will contain changes intended for the next minor release.  Right now,
the next minor release is 6.2.  So, assuming a 6.2 release is eventually
made, you will get changes that will eventually be in NetBSD 6.2.  To
say that in another way, if you do a CVS checkout with "-r netbsd-6",
you will get all the changes that went into the 6.1 release, and you
will get all the changes intended for the 6.2 release (assuming that
release is eventually made).

Is that what you want?  If so, then there's nothing more to discuss.

But if by, "I want to follow the most recent version of netbsd-6," you
actually mean you want to follow NetBSD 6.0 with any security/critical
fixes, then the branch you want is referred to as a "security/critical"
branch.  In CVS that branch has the tag name "netbsd-6-0".  Right now,
that will include the changes for the NetBSD 6.0.5 release and any
changes intended for 6.0.6 (if that release is eventually made).

If you want to follow NetBSD 6.1 with any security/critical fixes, then
the CVS branch name is "netbsd-6-1".  Right now, that includes changes
for the NetBSD 6.1.4 release and any changes intended for 6.1.5 (if that
release is eventually made).

Lewis