Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 08:52:51 +0300 From: Daniel Kalchev <daniel@digsys.bg> To: grenville armitage <garmitage@swin.edu.au> Cc: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Documenting ports options (was Re: Why Are You NOT Using FreeBSD ?) Message-ID: <42B15F36-195D-44E0-AF3A-0EE815548620@digsys.bg> In-Reply-To: <4FD68245.4090207@swin.edu.au> References: <CAOgwaMvsv3e1TxDauV038Pp7LRiYeH7oAODE%2Bw-pxHt9oGrXMA@mail.gmail.com> <201206020012.q520CEcf057568@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <20120602004230.GA14487@in-addr.com> <201206040224.q542OBqk085897@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <20120604043233.GB32597@lonesome.com> <201206040841.q548fVHa091169@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <CADLo83-9jE1zAtdXrA78=K5AE7yR4UsMh=efeC5L4kXijaDFaQ@mail.gmail.com> <201206041841.q54IfUow001060@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <20120604191343.GF10783@isuckatdomains.isuckatdomains.net> <201206041932.q54JWONA001600@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <4FCDA15C.2000700@digsys.bg> <201206061859.q56IxvLx045828@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <90425E82-5475-491F-AE88-00B0774F058D@ultra-secure.de> <201206112320.q5BNKXWO029603@hugeraid.jetcafe.org> <4FD68245.4090207@swin.edu.au>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Jun 12, 2012, at 2:41 AM, grenville armitage wrote: >=20 >=20 >> Rainer Duffner<rainer@ultra-secure.de> writes: > [..] >>> Personally, I don't need more frequent FreeBSD-releases but two or >>> maybe three ports-tree freezes per year would be good. >=20 > Perhaps not so much freezes per se, but if there are particular > dates at which the ports tree is known to compile properly (for > some preferred definition of 'properly') those dates could be > kept in a list somewhere, for people to use with the cvsup > "date=3D" option? I believe the reason this is not happening is that there is no date, = when the ports tree does build all ports "just fine". Some of the ports = are not compilable if you compile other ports, or select certain options = in other ports as well. For example, you might have a date, when KDE4 compiles and runs, just = fine. But at the same date, you cannot say the same for say Gnome, or = science/meep (random pick). It is of course "doable". The reason nobody is doing it is because by = the time you have "stable ports tree" lots of software in there and more = importantly most of the mainstream software in there that sees active = development is already out of date and sometimes with unattached = security problems. There is a fundamental misconception of what the ports tree is. This is = not the "ready made" software, where you just user = portmaster/portinstall to add new software or you go to the port's = directory and type "make install". The ports tree is a collection of instructions how to build foreign to = FreeBSD software, plus the necessary infrastructure and few "common = sense" options and that is it. If you view it any other way, you are in = trouble. The "pick and install software" functionality does not really exist in = FreeBSD. The closest is to use packages and yet closer is the packaging = system found in PC-BSD that uses the Apple style "fat app" approach. It is more appropriate to view FreeBSD and ports as the tools to build = your own "OS" (in the sense that most people understand it) with = functionality, tuning and packages you need. Of course, the ports system can be improved and is in fact, all the = time. Daniel=
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?42B15F36-195D-44E0-AF3A-0EE815548620>