A much more concise version of this document. Also updated somewhat.

svn path=/head/; revision=3760

handbook/stable.sgml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<!-- $Id: stable.sgml,v 1.17 1998-03-15 15:10:21 nik Exp $ -->
+<!-- $Id: stable.sgml,v 1.18 1998-11-08 10:40:54 jkh Exp $ -->
 <!-- The FreeBSD Documentation Project -->
 
 
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
                         THE FREEBSD STABLE POLICY 
 
-Last updated: $Date: 1998-03-15 15:10:21 $
+Last updated: $Date: 1998-11-08 10:40:54 $
 
 This document attempts to explain the rationale behind
 FreeBSD-stable, what you should expect should you decide to run it,
@@ -18,14 +18,15 @@ and states some prerequisites for making sure the process goes as
 smoothly as possible.
 -->
 
-<sect1><heading>What is FreeBSD-stable?</heading>
+<itemize>
+<item><em>What is FreeBSD-stable?</em>
 
 <p>FreeBSD-stable is our development branch for a more low-key and
 conservative set of changes intended for our next mainstream release.
 Changes of an experimental or untested nature do not go into this
 branch (see <ref id="current" name="FreeBSD-current">).
 
-<sect1><heading>Who needs FreeBSD-stable?</heading>
+<item><em>Who needs FreeBSD-stable?</em>
 
 <p>If you are a commercial user or someone who puts maximum stability of
 their FreeBSD system before all other concerns, you should consider tracking
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ our tests fail to catch every case.  If something breaks for you in
 <em>stable</em>, please let us know <em>immediately!</em> (see
 next section).
 
-<sect1><heading>Using FreeBSD-stable</heading>
+<item><em>Getting FreeBSD-stable</em>
 
     <p><enum><item> Join the &a.stable .  This will
     keep you informed of build-dependencies that may appear in
@@ -53,30 +54,41 @@ next section).
     the users a chance to respond if they have any issues to raise concerning
     the proposed change.
 
-    To join this list, send mail to &a.majordomo and say:
+    <p>To join this list, send mail to &a.majordomo and say:
 <verb>
             subscribe freebsd-stable
 </verb>
-   In the body of your message.  Optionally, you can also say `help'
+   <p>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:
+    <item><p>If you're installing a new system and want it to be as -stable
+	as possible, you can simply grab the latest dated branch snapshot
+	from <url url="ftp://releng22.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD"
+	name="ftp://releng22.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD"> and install it like
+	any other release.
+
+    <item><p>If you're already running a previous release of 2.2 and
+	wish to upgrade via sources then you can easily do so from
+	ftp.FreeBSD.ORG.  This can be done in one of three ways:
 
     <enum>
-	<item> Use the <ref id="ctm" name="CTM"> facility.  Unless you 
+	<item><p>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
+        <item><p>Use the <ref id="cvsup" name="cvsup"> program with
 	    <url url="ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-current/src/share/examples/cvsup/stable-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
-            to keep their sources up-to-date automatically.
+            to keep their sources up-to-date automatically.  For a fairly
+	    easy interface to this, simply type:
+<verb>
+	pkg_add -f ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/CVSup/cvsupit.tgz
+</verb>
 
-        <item>  Use ftp.  The source tree for FreeBSD-stable is always
+        <item><p>Use ftp.  The source tree for FreeBSD-stable is always
             "exported" on:
             <htmlurl url="ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.ORG/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-stable"
             name="ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.ORG/pub/FreeBSD/FreeBSD-stable">
@@ -95,14 +107,16 @@ next section).
             tar file.
     </enum>
 
-    <item>  Essentially, if you need rapid on-demand access to the source and
+    <item><p>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>  Before compiling stable, read the Makefile in /usr/src
+    <item><p>Before compiling stable, read the Makefile in /usr/src
       carefully.  You should at least run a `<ref id="makeworld"
       name="make world">' the first time through as part of the upgrading
       process. Reading the &a.stable will keep you up-to-date on other
       bootstrapping procedures that sometimes become necessary as we move
       towards the next release.
 </enum>
+</itemize>
+