[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?

[Rob Kampen]

On 05/11/2012 08:14 AM, Jon Detert wrote:
> 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,
This topic seems to arise often.
For my simple mind it works like this:
Lets say CentOS 6.0 is released - it is the base.
Various updates occur - yum update allows you to apply these to your system.
After a period - determined by our generous upstream benefactor - they 
decide to take a snap-shot of all the changes thus far, roll in a few 
more and call it version 6.1 and it becomes the new base. As time 
progresses the various "versions" are released, however they are simply 
a snapshot in time of all the various updates and patches to each of the 
rpms.
HTH