On Tue, 20 May 2008, Kendall Shaw wrote:

quoted text
> Can you also help me understand these words about -current, from the
> FAQ:
>
> "There are also flag days and major system changes that the developers
> navigate with one-time tools, which mean that source-based updating is
> not possible."
>
> There are changes that don't occur in the source?

Maybe it's better if someone else confirms what I'm about to say (and 
corrects me if I'm wrong), but here's how I understand it:

Sometimes, there'll be such important and drastic changes in some parts of 
the source that it becomes impossible to compile this new version of the 
source using the tools/kernel built with the older version of the source, 
before the drastic changes were committed.

In these cases the developers use some one-off methods/tools to get the 
"tricky" parts of the new sources compiled. With the relevant tools/parts 
updated in a "customized" fashion they can then perform a recompile of the 
whole base using the traditional methods and release a binary-form 
snapshot, which people running -current are expected to upgrade with if 
they want to continue following -current.

Makes sense?

-Martin