I have been using FreeBSD now for almost exactly 2 years (I think it was a few months before 7.0 was released), after it was recommended to me by a co-worker who had been using it since version 2 or 3. I had previously been using Ubuntu. When I first started using FreeBSD I read about 80% of the entire Handbook (maybe a little less, but I did spend a week going through it several hours per day) and one thing I noticed that was missing was specific mention of the version of FreeBSD that was available when a section was last updated.
I know in section 2.6.5 it specifically states that non-advanced users should use the automatic settings for slice sizes and assignment, and I learned the hard way that creating a separate mount for /boot will keep FreeBSD from even finishing the install (returns error code -0 I think, when it attempts to install most files, I think /opt does the same, can't recall right now. both of which are commonly created during linux installations nowadays) and does the same if you add too many separately mountable file systems. Maybe that issue can be resolved, maybe it cannot, that is not my point. The point is there is not a warning for new users who are trying to figure out the manual method, nor is the detailed information up to date. I think I tried a few times when 7.2 first launched in RELEASE, but I do not believe that a 512 meg / slice is even compatible with the current FreeBSD installation, and this is what it shows in the Handbook.
I think it is past time with the launch of FreeBSD 8.0 to update this section, I do not see how it would take someone who knows a good bit about the installation of FreeBSD more than 2-3 hours to post on the handbook the absolute minimum slice size and to note the ONLY mount points you can specify during install for individual file systems. It would be nice post recommended sizes and possibly a "there is no reason currently that you should need to create this slice at a size greater than..."
I do not see a negative issue with maintaining a chart of each slice and the minimum/recommended size for each version, that way you can just add a new line to the chart when there is a new release, possibly even doing a column header "for Releases" and data "5.0-6.2" "7.0-8.2" instead of listing each separately. Jus to mark out where there were installation size changes making the minimums change. This will also help people out that are trying to install FreeBSD in the smallest space possible, like a Just Enough 2 Run (JE2R)
I know in section 2.6.5 it specifically states that non-advanced users should use the automatic settings for slice sizes and assignment, and I learned the hard way that creating a separate mount for /boot will keep FreeBSD from even finishing the install (returns error code -0 I think, when it attempts to install most files, I think /opt does the same, can't recall right now. both of which are commonly created during linux installations nowadays) and does the same if you add too many separately mountable file systems. Maybe that issue can be resolved, maybe it cannot, that is not my point. The point is there is not a warning for new users who are trying to figure out the manual method, nor is the detailed information up to date. I think I tried a few times when 7.2 first launched in RELEASE, but I do not believe that a 512 meg / slice is even compatible with the current FreeBSD installation, and this is what it shows in the Handbook.
I think it is past time with the launch of FreeBSD 8.0 to update this section, I do not see how it would take someone who knows a good bit about the installation of FreeBSD more than 2-3 hours to post on the handbook the absolute minimum slice size and to note the ONLY mount points you can specify during install for individual file systems. It would be nice post recommended sizes and possibly a "there is no reason currently that you should need to create this slice at a size greater than..."
I do not see a negative issue with maintaining a chart of each slice and the minimum/recommended size for each version, that way you can just add a new line to the chart when there is a new release, possibly even doing a column header "for Releases" and data "5.0-6.2" "7.0-8.2" instead of listing each separately. Jus to mark out where there were installation size changes making the minimums change. This will also help people out that are trying to install FreeBSD in the smallest space possible, like a Just Enough 2 Run (JE2R)