[CentOS] when is the o.s. considered to be at a certain minor version? Or, is it safe to apply only certain package updates from the next release version?

[Ljubomir Ljubojevic]

On 05/10/2012 10:35 PM, Scott Silva wrote:
> on 5/10/2012 1:14 PM Jon Detert spake the following:
>> Two related questions about the minor release numbers (e.g. the 'x' in 5.x or 6.x) :
>>
>> 1) What constitutes the o.s. being at a particluar minor release?  Typically, when you install you are getting a package set available from a specific minor release number.  But what minor release is the o.s. at if I just update the centos-release package, and no other package?  Typically, a 'yum update' is said to take your whole package set to the latest minor release.  But what minor release is the o.s. if you just update certain packages (instead of taking all avaailable updates)?
>>
>> 2) Can I apply package updates made in a minor release greater than my current release without detriment to the integrity of the o.s.?
>> E.g. Suppose all my packages are at versions delivered in v5.6.
>> Suppose also, that I have a package xyz installed, and that an update to it was made available in v5.8.
>> Can I upgrade xyz to the updated version from 5.8 without updating other packages (except for any dependencies xyz has) to the versions available in v5.8?
>>
>> Thanks,
> The minor versions are only snapshots in time when install media is
> re-generated... There is no good reason to stay on previous minor versions...
> There is really only a 5 version or a 6 version... Staying with older packages
> will only give you security problems...
>

I can not agree with this. Minor versions also introduce newer kernels 
(hardware support) and some changes in packages that are not done during 
regular update releases. Certain technological previews are also 
introduced and so on.
If you were right, then all those packages would just be shoved into 
"updates" repository. The difference between Fedora releases and 
RHEL/CentOS minor version is ability to upgrade to next minor version 
fluidly, without loosing kABI/ABI compatibility.


-- 

Ljubomir Ljubojevic
(Love is in the Air)
PL Computers
Serbia, Europe

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