# Feature request freebsd-update



## Alain De Vos (Mar 13, 2022)

freebsd-update should be able to list all releases available or for your system, you can fetch and install.
E.g. "freebsd-update upgrade -r XXX" results in XXX is unsupported. But returning the list of supported XXX should not be complicated nor difficult.


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## grahamperrin@ (Mar 13, 2022)

Alain De Vos said:


> … list of supported …



A nice idea, however (gut feeling, given the existing bug reports and so on) developers might prefer to spend their time on PkgBase. 

No offence. I don't mean to be pessimistic, just realistic about what _is_ already on the technology roadmap (freebsd-update(8) is not).


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## Alain De Vos (Mar 13, 2022)

No offence pkgbase looks to me like an idea without any clear deadline.


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## grahamperrin@ (Mar 14, 2022)

Phishfry said:


> … Yes you need to know what you are upgrading to.



I've been doing it for years, still, sometimes I get confused about what's acceptable at the command line and elsewhere.

<https://forums.freebsd.org/profile-posts/comments/7155> for example, thankfully bsduck de-confused me.



> … You want spoon-fed? …



Yum!  Keep a little blood for yourself 





_View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt9wVzkPwrY_


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## Erichans (Mar 14, 2022)

Alain De Vos said:


> freebsd-update should be able to list all releases available or for your system, you can fetch and install.
> E.g. "freebsd-update upgrade -r XXX" results in XXX is unsupported. But returning the list of supported XXX should not be complicated nor difficult.


Your message seems to be about binary updates/upgrades. Perhaps there are more sides (and complications) to this than one would expect at first glance.

For somewhat experienced FreeBSD users who are fully aware of the FreeBSD update-release mechanism and naming conventions, this is a nice to have IMO. You can easily look up the supported versions from the support matrix with dates: Supported FreeBSD releases and context.

Note that BETA's, RC's are not supported "versions"*, although you can get them by binary install, as in: `freebsd-update -r 13.1-BETA1 upgrade` as mentioned here.

Even when the BETA's and RC's are not shown in the list that is suggested; just a mere list of -RELEASE releases that are supported gives no context for FreeBSD users that does not fall in the category of "somewhat experienced FreeBSD" users. Currently that list might look something like:

```
12.2-RELEASE
12.3-RELEASE
13.0-RELEASE
```

How would this be helpful for, say someone just new to the FreeBSD eco system or even someone who has been using FreeBSD but is not fully aware of the FreeBSD release and naming conventions? You don't get to see that 12.2-RELEASE is about to be EoL. You don't get to see that 12.3 is of a more recent release date then 13.0. You don't get to see that 13.1-RELEASE is just around the corner etc. Preferably this should be consistent over the supported different architectures.

___
* Edit: However, see messages after this one for details and clarifications


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## grahamperrin@ (Mar 14, 2022)

Erichans said:


> … BETA's, RC's are not supported "versions", …



`-BETA` and `-RC` (release candidate) releases are "supported for a few weeks, as resources permit, …".

<https://bokut.in/freebsd-patch-level-table/#releng/13.0> for example, the four rounds of patching before the first `-RELEASE` of 13.0.


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## Erichans (Mar 14, 2022)

Thanks for pointing that out. I think it is helpful to state the full quote for context as stated in Supported FreeBSD releases:


> In the run-up to a release, a number of -BETA and -RC releases may be published for testing purposes. These releases are only supported for a few weeks, as resources permit, and will not be listed as supported on this page. Users are strongly discouraged from running these releases on production systems.



To me, that signifies a very specific and narrowly defined kind of support, severely limited in time and by resources; not something you would like to see listed as output of "supported versions". SirDice also clarifies the possible uses of BETA's and RC's in relation to bugs & testing purposes.


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## grahamperrin@ (Mar 14, 2022)

Erichans said:


> … not something you would like to see listed …



If the intention is to simplify use of a utility: I _would_ want them listed.

This topic beginning after the announcement of the first `-BETA` release is, to me, a big hint.

Incidentally: 

I don't like the phrase _beta release_, but that's what's used at the most popular point of reference, so I might use it, for now
I'm not overlooking the importance of announcements, especially where the announcement details how to use freebsd-update.


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