FreeBSD 10.0-RC2 Now Available

[Royce Williams]

On Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 4:53 AM, Marko Cupać <marko.cupac at mimar.rs> wrote:
> I admit my addiction to constant source updating, customizing and
> rebuilding kernel, rebuilding world, updating ports tree and rebuilding
> outdated ports, or sometimes all the ports. For this purpose I have my
> work laptop, and I use it mostly as a playground for testing.

This is like tinkering with a hobby car: if it's what you enjoy doing,
or if you need features or performance not provided by a "stock" car,
then you should do it. (Except for rebuilding outdated ports; that's
more like changing your oil.)

> However, for maintenance of my production servers I am very glad that
> freebsd-update exists.

Amen!  This is like avoiding tinkering with your primary commuting car
(or your partner's car!): you need reliability, not the overhead and
instability of tinkering.  Actually, since freebsd-update helps you
stay patched so easily, it's more like switching from doing your own
car maintenance to having your own NASCAR pit crew. :-)

Taken together, buildworld and freebsd-update are each essential in
their own way for many admins.

Also -- Odhiambo, freebsd-update doesn't have to clobber your kernel.
There are many options in /etc/freebsd-update.conf that let you
precisely control what is updated.  See 'man freebsd-update.conf' for
details.

Royce