I would like to see a breakdown on how to build a full release and the customization's that can be had. A guided tour would have been nice before jumping in.
(In reply to Mark LaPointe from comment #0) This of course doesn't need to be as in depth as the developers handbook. Just an intro really, and them make reference to the developers handbook.
(In reply to Mark LaPointe from comment #1) If you've read release(7), can you list where and how it falls short of what you need or expect?
I will start off by stating that "read the man page" really isn't a proper line of thinking here. Otherwise there wouldn't be a need or desire for a handbook. The handbook is hand holding, and I think that hand holding that is of value. I should not need to state this. Yes, I've read the man page for release(7), at the same time I think that the handbook doesn't come full circle and is incomplete without a section on how to build a release. There is a section on building ports, there is a section on customizing a kernel, but no section on building and possibly customizing a release. Now this section in the handbook doesn't need to be something in great detail, just something to give a taste. Then make references to the developers and other handbooks for people to dig deeper. I think that this is a missing section in the handbook, and an opportunity to add value to the handbook. Now there are other ways that custom images could be accomplished (vm image templates), but I am also looking at how GhostBSD, helloSystem (Based off the late FuryBSD's build script), and other release derivatives are created and seeing that there is a gap and thinking that they could be done better, and that this area needs more attention, and quite possibly some work to have a better solution within the release building process. Adding this section for use in custom deployment environments, with just enough information on how to make a custom release image with extra packages installed by default, like with some of the cloudware images (that may also be a feature request to expand), or a more tailored release that has more kernel features beyond the GENERIC configuration, or removes features that are of no use, less than GENERIC/LINT, but more than MINIMAL kernel configurations.
(In reply to Mark LaPointe from comment #3) "I will start off by stating that "read the man page" really isn't a proper line of thinking here. Otherwise there wouldn't be a need or desire for a handbook." I agree with that. And I realize now that it wasn't clear to someone not familiar with what I work on for FreeBSD, but I didn't mean that the information not covered in the manual page (which would include the handholding you're right to ask about) doesn't need to be added *to* the manual page. I meant that knowing *what* is missing from the only existing information on the topic (the manual page) is a necessary precondition to deciding what and how to add to the Handbook.