cvs commit: src/include string.h src/lib/libc/string Makefile.inc memchr.3 memrchr.c src/sys/sys param.h

[Robert Watson]

On Thu, 29 May 2008, Daniel Eischen wrote:

>> So, this is neither a vote for nor against a backout, but this is a general 
>> call to resist the conservative tendancy that says "don't MFC minor things" 
>> because, in macro, it has a significant drag effect on the MFC process that 
>> keeps RELENG branches maintainable.
>
> Ok, but consider the prior email with kan about MFC's after an 8.0 release. 
> Since you must be able to run 7.x binaries on 8.0, then you can't MFC any 
> symbol changes from 8.0+ back to 7.x.  The symbols are basically frozen in 
> 7.x after 8.0 is released.

Sounds like a bug.  :-)

I realize that is a rather simplistic view, but the reality is that we want 
the best of both worlds: we like having active feaure merging, and we like 
having multiple active branches with releases after a .0.  In fact, having a 
.4 on one branch after a .0 on the next branch seems pretty central to our 
world view.  As many downsides as library versions had, one upside was the 
ability to do this.  I need to go read Alexander's e-mail, but it seems that 
really this limitation shouldn't have to exist.

Robert N M Watson
Computer Laboratory
University of Cambridge