AsiaBSDCon 2009:The OpenBSD Release Process: A Success Story

AsiaBSDCon 2009 Plenary Talk.

Speaker: Theo de Raadt is the project leader of the OpenBSD project, and the founder of OpenSSH. He started writing free unix tools in 1988. In 1995 he convinced a bunch of strange foreigners to work with him on a security-focused unix operating system. He lives in Calgary, and has no time for a job since the OpenBSD developers consume too much of his time. He only accepts invitations to speak at conferences if excellent hiking is nearby.

Abstract:

Twelve years ago OpenBSD developers started engineering a release process that has resulted in quality software being delivered on a consistent 6 month schedule -- 25 times in a row, exactly on the date promised, and with no critical bugs. This on-time delivery process is very different from how corporations manage their product releases and much more in tune with how volunteer driven communities are supposed to function. Developer and testing laziness is mostly circumvented and leader frustration is kept to a minimum. The reasons, mechanics and social workings of our process have never been detailed outside the project, but now will be, hopefully providing some insight to others who face delays and quality issues with their own product lines.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[raider8654]

Is that... COMIC SANS????!!!

You ought to know better!

[robo45h]

HORRIBLE video technique. Theo is not visible, because it's too dark. That's OK -- no need to really see him. HOWEVER, they keep the camera backed out so he is in frame. As a result, you can't read the slides most of the time. They should have just focused on the slides.

[neb967]

If u have no idea what I'm implying then why are u commenting dude ??? I'm confused...

Anyway I was making a sarcastic comment which doesn't really translate well over the net... Dont get where on earth the shitty schools comments come from... I'm pretty multi-racial so I figure your comment could apply to about 6 different countries. Also what relevance do Indian slum kids have to do with this ? If they can learn to do that in 2 weeks - I figure they must be pretty smart. Peace

[Evi1M4chine]

@neb967: Uuum,. no idea what you’re implying or what planet you’re from, but intelligence has nothing to do with all this stuff you listed. Intelligence is based on neurological properties, which are only dependent on your genetics, and later on your food & co. What you mean, is *knowledge*. And I guess with your shitty schools that reward training by heart and punish self-thinking, you stopped knowing the difference.

Indian slum kids took <2 weeks from illiteracy to surfing the web on a tablet.

[Evi1M4chine]

So to say it in one short sentence: They simply keep the code in release quality *all the time*. Every day.

And since that means the code is always tested right after being changed, there is no need for big testing before releases.

I think I always worked like this. I basically write in the morning, test in the evening, and never go home before the thing works properly with high certainty.

[bootiack]

capitalism all the way down with software patents

[Aaron Toponce]

Is this a talk about OpenBSD or criticizing other projects?

[bobdole57]

is it just me or was that Kirk McKusick asking that question around 27 minutes?

[bootiack]

outstanding

[neb967]

LOLZ awesome

[neb967]

Are you really serious... so if you have a crap Operating System, low level unchallenging job, come from a poor country with poor a education system, and speak badly in one language - u can still be intelligent ? huh - go figure...

Then again intelligence is an overrated characteristic that guarantess absolutely nothing... alot massive losers out there who are "intelligent"... weird...