Which Version of FreeBSD?

[Nikolas Britton]

-CURRENT or -STABLE should not be used in production environments.
FreeBSD in general is very stable and well tested but if you want the 
most stable it would be the 4.x branch.
The following is a snippet from page 119 of Michael Lucas's book, 
Absolute BSD: The Ultimate Guide to FreeBSD.
-----------------------------------
Which Release Should You Use?
FreeBSD uses the same release system as it does for quality control. 
Though it may seem like a
complex system, it allows users to rest assured that a release is 
supported by the community, and
that it has been through peer review and extensive testing. That same 
user knows that the nifty new
features in -stable and -current are available, if she's willing to pay 
the price.
So which release should you use?

Production: If you're using FreeBSD in a production setting, track the 
security branch of a
-release.

Test: If you're a network administrator interested in seeing how changes 
in FreeBSD will
affect your environment, track -stable on a test system.

Development: If you're an operating system developer, have too much 
spare time and too
little excitement, or are a blind idiot, -current is for you. When 
-current destroys your MP3
collection, debug the problem and submit a patch to correct it.

Hobby: If you're a hobbyist, you can run any version! Just keep in mind 
the limitations of the
branch you're using. If you're just learning UNIX, -release is what you 
want. Once you have
your feet under you, upgrade to -stable. If you have nothing better to 
do, and have nothing
but utter contempt for your data, you're welcome to join the masochists 
over in -current.
--------------------------------------

Michael G. Goodell wrote:

>Which release of FreeBSD is best for a production environment? I am aware of
>the different branches of development: CURRENT, STABLE, RELEASE and I
>*think* I understand the meaning of each from what I have read. Perhaps not
>since I am writing this question! But, what I would like to know is when I
>am setting up a production system, or desktop for that matter, which is
>considered *THE* most stable of the choices in versions. Is it in the 4.x
>branch, 5x etc...
>
>Where can I get clarification on this topic - any direction would be
>welcome.
>