# Why FreeBSD X.2 release is always NORMAL and not EXTENDED



## vand777 (Jan 28, 2011)

Hi all,

When I was looking at http://security.freebsd.org/#sup, I noticed that 6.2, 7.2 and 8.2 releases were NORMAL, and 6.1, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1, 7.3, 7.4, 8.1 releases were EXTENDED. I can understand why 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0 releases were NORMAL (they were new in their major branches and didn't deserve extended support) but I could not understand why 6.2, 7.2 and 8.2 are not EXTENDED?

Do you know the answer?


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## ian-nai (Jan 28, 2011)

Description of Extended (from your source):


> Selected releases (*normally every second release plus the last release from each -STABLE branch*) will be supported by the Security Officer for a minimum of 24 months after the release, and for sufficient additional time (if needed) to ensure that there is a newer Extended release for at least 3 months before the older Extended release expires.


I added the emphasis (bolded text).

8.1 (for instance) was released from a -STABLE branch.  8.2, being the successor to 8.1, is not the second (nor last) release from the 8-STABLE branch.  By this logic, 8.3 will likely be marked Extended.

I'm guessing that's how it works...


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## phoenix (Jan 28, 2011)

Not that hard to figure out, once you write it down.

X.0 is the first release of a -STABLE branch, thus a normal release.
X.1 is the second release, thus an extended release.
X.2 is the next release, making it a normal release.
X.3 is the next release, 2 releases since the last extended, thus an extended release.
X.4 is the next release, making it a normal release (unless it is the last one)
X.5 is the next release, 2 releases since the last extended, thus an extended release
X.6 is the next release, making it a normal release (unless it is the last one)
and so on.


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## vand777 (Jan 28, 2011)

Thank you!


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