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Date:      Mon, 18 Dec 2000 15:59:09 -0600
From:      "Victor R. Cardona" <vcardona@home.com>
To:        Mike Meyer <mwm@mired.org>
Cc:        questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Ports vs. RPM was:This will replace Linux?
Message-ID:  <3A3E88AD.9020707@home.com>
References:  <14910.30978.780929.304694@guru.mired.org>

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Mike Meyer wrote:

> Victor R. Cardona <vcardona@home.com> types:
> 
>> Christian Flügel wrote:
>> 
>>> From: "Chris Dillon" <cdillon@wolves.k12.mo.us>
>>> 
>>>> RPM isn't used because the RPM system sucks.  FreeBSD has a superior
>>>> packaging and ports system, and it uses it.
>>> 
>>> I have always wondered why FreeBSD claims that the Ports System is superior
>>> to the RPM packaging system used in most of the Linux flavors. Basically,
>>> from my point of view, both should provide similar features with regards to
>>> Dependancy checking etc. .
>>> Could anyone point out what makes the Ports collection better than Linux RPM
>> 
>> I actually like both systems, and they both have their advantages. Ports 
>> are better at handling dependencies. They will go out and get anything 
>> that is required. RPM will only tell you that a file is missing, but it 
>> will not tell you where that file can be obtained.
>> 
>> I find upgrading RPMs to be a little easier then ports, but that may 
>> just be personal bias because I have used them longer.
> 
> 
> No, it's not a bias - it's real. RPMs have a mechanism for upgrading
> an installed package; packages don't.
> 
> For me, the real advantage of the ports/package system is the *ports*
> part of it. That it's not noticably harder to build a port from
> sources - only set to install where I want it - than to install a
> package is a major benefit that RPMs don't have. I'm sure that
> everyone who builds RPMs has ported the software to Linux, but there
> isn't a standardized way to package that, or a repository of them you
> can access (at least, not that I'm aware of).

Well, there is rpmfind which servers as a locator service for rpms. 
Unfortunately, you are correct. There are differences between the rpm 
using Linux distributions that cause some rpm installations to fail 
(i.e. SuSE rpms may not work with Red Hat). All in all, RPM does have 
some nice features though.

Victor Cardona
vcardona@home.com



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