why release branch cannot update ports?

My question is as title.

I have seen freebsd said that many times but I still cannot figure out the reason. Would anyone kind enough to tell me why?

Thanks!

You can update it but when you make install a port you'd see errors complaining that this ports tree doesn't match your OS branch or something.

RELEASE branch uses a specific ports.tar.gz built and dated that match your exact build - your RELEASE branch, while the latest (current) ports is up-to-minute with a cvs tag of tag=. for users who track -CURRENT or -STABLE.

That said, two people running the same RELEASE branch will have the same binaries (i.e. /bin/cp) in size and basically a identical /usr/src and pretty much everything is the same, except config files.
For STABLE branch almost everyone's system is unique because all this is about a particular date of the snapshot. You can have a 4.5-STABLE with the /usr/src based on 20020501 while my /usr/src can have a different date. So a -RELEASE branch is really a particular date of the snapshot and with a static+stable ports.tar.gz built and made for that snapshot, the RELEASE branch.

BTW, people who run -RELEASE branch ain't real FreeBSD users anyway.

Tell me, what is a "real" FreeBSD user anyway? Is it a title you earn after sitting in front of the machine for x # hours trying to figure out what the hell is going on or is it a self imposed honor for people who need to feel important?

I'm not taking issue with whether you are a "real" FreeBSD user because you seem to know a lot, but I want to know what the importance to the distinction is? What about a newbie who has the willingness and patients to learn how this stuff works. Is he a "real" FreeBSD user, or is he not because he hasn't realized the "in crowd" characteristics yet?

Its not just here or with FreeBSD (the OS), its all over the computer world, and I realize that a main componant of the free software intiative is self agrandizing, but it really forms a barrier for mainstream acceptance.

If I am reading too much into your comment, I appologize, it just struck me the wrong way.

Brett

Thanks freebsd for the answer again! I will try that this Sat. I have upgraded to stable and didnt notice the problem.

I have tried FreeBSD for one month. I find that there are a lot of step by step guides in the web. Most of them don' t explain why you need to do that and tell you just follow. But all I really need is the reason of why doing it. If you don't know the reasons and just follow the steps, you learn nothing. Even if I am using M$ Windows, I will ask myself why before I make a change.

>> what is a "real" FreeBSD user anyway?

You must have recompiled a kernel and buildworld in order to be a "real" FreeBSD user. Doing those implies that you are tracking -STABLE branch.

>> Is he a "real" FreeBSD user, or is he not because he hasn't realized....

Buildworld and compile a kernel are the top 10 essential things a newbie should do asap afterboot. If he hasn't done that yet he can't be called "real" user.

The only thing you need to do to become a "real" FreeBSD user is to use FreeBSD everyday. Nothing more, nothing less. There's no "hierarchy" that depends on recompiling a kernel or running buildworld or tracking -stable or anything else like that.

To be a user, you must use the system. Hence the term "user".

Please see this thread on BSDForums.org for the real answer. freebsd isn't telling the whole truth, or else s/he's very misguided.