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I have a Centos 6.3 server -- alone among all my Ubuntu servers for historical reasons -- with Upstart 0.6.5. I need to update that upstart to at least 1.4, and I'd prefer to do it through yum instead of hand compiling it.

Is a there a yum repo with a newer version I could use to update Upstart from?

Daniel C. Sobral
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Enterprise linux is different from Ubuntu: they value longevity of app certification over freshness -- software available for version X will always be compatible, throughout the support life of the OS.

What this means is that 0.6.5 will be the version for compatibility, and although you'll see some patches applied for security and very occasionally features, compatibility with the 0.6.5-compatible products is by far the chief goal. In the enterprise software space, the ISVs and customers need to know what's available on which platform, and ISVs need the simplicity of supporting "App X on Y" instead of "app X on this kernel, that windower, that C Lib, that other math lib without that patch but before this patch," etc.

Having worked through dependency hell with perl, python and experiencing the glee of ruby gem conflicts - which is fine for these languages to be in flux, like concept cars in the auto world, don't get me wrong - having a solid top-to-bottom compatibility statement (which resolves to a single number like '6' or '7') is definitely refreshing for experienced OS admins and software vendors for sure.

Yes, we don't get this week's upstart, but we don't have to worry about stuff not working at 0300 on a sunday when we're on that once-a-leap-year vacation in Malaga.

user2066657
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  • This doesn't answer the question. And for all rationalization of why things might be the way they are, if you look at the comments a few months later, you'll see that Centos was *dropped* because it *did not do what was needed*. – Daniel C. Sobral Aug 30 '17 at 17:49
  • The point is, what we think we really really need seems arbitrary and expensive at times. There's no reason under the earth that we need this week's upstart. I worked hard to promote that idea. Sorry it was too much. I hope you can find peace in the decision and never realize the cost. – user2066657 Aug 31 '17 at 19:11
  • There's no reason? There's no reason I need Centos. An OS doesn't *do* anything, only the software we run on top of it does. The software I needed to run *needed* an *18 months old* Upstart (not "this week's"). *That* software is what I needed, and either the OS can handle it, or it can't, and Centos couldn't. There was no cost in that decision, because Centos was simply not an option. There's a cost *to Centos* in being years behind the stable. – Daniel C. Sobral Sep 15 '17 at 05:02
  • In the enterprise space, where things need to be tested and proved reliable, there is no difference between 18 months and this week. You'll understand one day, but do make sure to keep your mind open for it. Good luck until then! – user2066657 Sep 15 '17 at 20:30
  • "In the enterprise space" is a vendor's gimmick. There's no such thing. Companies will keep some systems frozen in time because they are unable to change it, and therefore fear doing so, and at the same time use experimental software where they couldn't care less -- sometimes because the institution itself doesn't know of it, just the people who work there. These frozen systems often lead to disasters, because they aren't "proven" and "reliable", they are just old and cranky. So you are either a vendor, inexperienced, or in denial. – Daniel C. Sobral Sep 20 '17 at 15:27
  • As mentioned, good luck! – user2066657 Sep 21 '17 at 15:36