# latest and greatest



## zader (Feb 27, 2019)

Hi guys,

just wondering if there is an easy way to install say .. FreeBSD-13.0-CURRENT-amd64-20190221-r344398-memstick.img  (the weekly snapshot) and then have the system automatically update to the newest snap shot along with checking for any new packages.

I know auto upgrade is not really recommended, but for a test box I want to have it as up to date as possible with little to no intervention. 

thanks


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## forquare (Feb 27, 2019)

Probably not exactly what you're after, but I have a test box that I use *Mondieu* on to update it -CURRENT between snapshots - *THIS IS VERY MUCH NOT SUPPORTED!!!*
My test box doesn't run 24/7, so I run it manually and have a script that runs Mondieu with customised options to massively reduce manual merging of files.

For packages that is slightly more difficult again.  I regularly key told that I can't upgrade my packages because of a kernel mismatch between my machine and the machine they were built on (it's been a while and it may not be a kernel mismatch but some other mismatch).  It asks if you want to ignore this but I've had breakages in the past by doing so.

Depending on what you want to do, I'd imagine you'd be better off automating a fresh deployment each week and migrating any required data from old to new machines.


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## obsigna (Feb 27, 2019)

I track FreeBSD CURRENT on a BeagleBone Black since some time now using the method described in my following BLog post:

Tracking FreeBSD CURRENT installations from Snapshots​
The command sequences could easily be placed into a shell script. The more tricky part is probably to automatically figure out the file name of the latest and greatest snapshot in order to fetch(1) it from upstream. For updating the packages/ports to all the latest, I use another shell script, which I described in another BLog post of mine:

FreeBSD: Dual Mode updating of the installed ports collection​
Presumably, it cannot be that complicated to write a shell script which does both tasks in a row.


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## zader (Feb 27, 2019)

Cool thanks I can work with that.. 

Cheers


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## SirDice (Feb 28, 2019)

zader said:


> just wondering if there is an easy way to install say .. FreeBSD-13.0-CURRENT-amd64-20190221-r344398-memstick.img (the weekly snapshot) and then have the system automatically update to the newest snap shot along with checking for any new packages.


If you have to ask this question then -CURRENT is not for you.

Topics about unsupported FreeBSD versions


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## obsigna (Feb 28, 2019)

SirDice said:


> ...
> If you have to ask this question then -CURRENT is not for you. ...



Wasn't it you who had in the past for a long time a footnote on the forums posts saying something like:

_"Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it."_​
Maybe, I become old and forgetful, and start mixing up persons.

Anyway, the OP clearly stated that the excercise is meant for a test box, which means for testing things FreeBSD, which is IMHO a valid topic by itself.

PS: I read https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/netflix-and-freebsd-ties.69699/

Then I saw the full presentation video of the Netflix engineer Jonathan Looney which he held at FOSDEM 2019. IMHO, He laid out quite valid arguments on why Netflix uses CURRENT in production, and I am tempted to move in this direction for some of the FreeBSD deployments which I maintain.


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## olli@ (Feb 28, 2019)

obsigna said:


> Anyway, the OP clearly stated that the excercise is meant for a test box


It does not matter what the exercise is meant for. Rather, this forum is not meant for supporting -current.

Let me quote from “Topics about unsupported FreeBSD versions”:


> […] there is a common misunderstanding that -CURRENT means "the latest, greatest version".


Now look at this thread's title. Clearly the OP is not aware what -current actually means.
Furthermore:


> All communication about -CURRENT should take place on the freebsd-current mailing list (join), not on the forums.


It couldn't be any clearer than that.


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## Wozzeck.Live (Feb 28, 2019)

FreeBSD CURRENT is experimental, highly unstable, and is targeting developers who know what to do.
FreeBSD CURRENT has no automatic update process as we can find in FreeBSD releases.
FreeBSD CURRENT is not supported on this forum, this point is discussed in the general rules.

As an end user, If you want to use CURRENT, there is a way : using simply TrueOS
Last versions of TrueOS are rolling releases based on FreeBSD current.

So.... very clever people behind TrueOS project carefully select the stable components, discard too much experimental and unstable ones.
TrueOS project is run by IXSystem, a major sponsor of FreeBSD, so developers of IXSystem have some "priviledged" relationship with the developpers of FreeBSD

So they know for a given new components if it is only experimental, or if this components is intented to be included in future releases
They evaluate the stability, if this stability is sufficient they can decide to include it in the TrueOS release, they check security flaws, they plan updates.

This forum doesn't support TrueOS also, but there is a special forum run by TrueOS project.
TrueOS is more as Linux, a desktop oriented OS with all ease.... but TrueOS can still be a server, this is absolutely not a problem.
The desktop oriented project PC-BSD and the server oriented project, the historical TrueOS, have merged into a unique brand "TrueOS".

As a reminder, we can find a server version of Ubuntu which is not so different from the desktop flavor....

FreeBSD has the advantage to be "totally" customizable. Everyone here turns his FreeBSD in what he wants.
TrueOS is like Linux distros.... there are a lot of thing coming out of the box and that you can't modify as it could create issues for further updates.

So make your choice. But frankly when reviewing some last messages, there are a lot of people here who are mistaken.
They would have better going to TrueOS
FreeBSD is a perfect OS to customize, but it needs a lot of patience and a lot of time to learn. it needs some "IT" skills, being a geek is not sufficient at all, even if being a developer is not absolutely required.

For example, managing customized  "ports" is far too be so easy.... for most of people, precompiled package is better... and finally an out of the box OS as TrueOS is better.

There is in my opinion, and this is only my personal opinion, a simple test : are you able to script in Bourn Shell ?

If yes... even if you are not a C or Java developer, being able to script in Bourn Shell shows enough "IT skills" to hack with FreeBSD. This means your brain develops enough logic.
If you find that too difficult, I am afraid that you will run into number of trouble with FreeBSD. You will give up or send tons of message on this forum.

FreeBSD is a highly fragile machine... bad parameters, and all can spin out of control
FreeBSD is robust... for experienced users... and this is finally the same remark for any OS.... Windows 10 is also very robust... as far as the user doesn't do foolish things. In more than 30 years, I have never had any virus problems with my Windows machines, because I know what I do, I know what I must not do, and if I take a risk, I know that and I assume the risk (but I backup my computer before)

FreeBSD, Linux ... this is exactly the same thing.

But just few points :

TrueOS is targeting amd64 machines, and is ZFS only. So no TrueOS for i386 or any other arch.
It should preferably run on "not too old hardware" and decent configurations.
For old hardwares, FreeBSD + UFS (but please set UFS + gjournal to get a highly reliable FS) is generally better.


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## obsigna (Feb 28, 2019)

olli@ said:


> It does not matter what the exercise is meant for. Rather, this forum is not meant for supporting -current.
> 
> Let me quote from “Topics about unsupported FreeBSD versions”:
> 
> ...


Sorry, but this is nit picking. Now I nit pick as well. The suggested procedure is to use RELEASE and a software which is in the ports for several years to pass a snapshot which happens to have CURRENT in its name to a volume which also has been preparred and formatted by RELEASE software. So, I supported RELEASE for using it installing some sort of snapshots somewhere. No questions or issues about any details of CURRENT were discussed here.


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## SirDice (Feb 28, 2019)

obsigna said:


> Wasn't it you who had in the past for a long time a footnote on the forums posts saying something like:
> 
> _"Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it."_


Yes, but that doesn't mean, "go cut corners and jump in head first".


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