Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2005 14:13:26 -0500 From: Mason Loring Bliss <mason@blisses.org> To: freebsd-advocacy@freebsd.org Subject: Information sought... Message-ID: <20050301191326.GG29540@acheron.in.hades>
next in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
--Pd0ReVV5GZGQvF3a Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi, all. I've got a new server that I'm currently bringing up with Debian GNU/Linux. Things are largely good, but I'm encountering some horrible problems with NFS, and at a friend's bidding I'm considering the prospect of using FreeBSD instead. My experience with FreeBSD is pretty minor, but I know it would do the trick for me. However, I have one question/concern that I'm hoping someone can answer. I've got a lot of experiencing having NetBSD pkgsrc fail for me in various ways, ranging from annoying to catastrophic. I love NetBSD otherwise, but it's unsuitable for my current need. Debian handles packages better than any system I've ever encountered. My questions are about FreeBSD binary packages. How quickly are they updated when security advisories come through? Is there documentation about any branching in place, and how that's handled? Are there any general caveats for using binary packages with FreeBSD? Is there any mechanism in place for safely doing in-place upgrades of dependencies? Say, for instance, I have an active Netatalk server that I really don't want disturbed. Say, further, that this theoretically depends on CUPS, and that CUPS lists a privilege escalation vulnerability or somesuch. Do FreeBSD's tools allow me to swap in a new CUPS when it becomes available without uprooting everything in its dependency tree? (Indeed, I had this happen recently with NetBSD, and the Netatalk configuration happened to change during the upgrade, resulting in a bunch of downtime and inconvenience as I tracked down why my users could no longer authenticate.) Debian goes to great lengths to make this sort of thing safe. How does FreeBSD compare? I'm quite open and willing to be swayed towards installing it. My only hesitation comes from seeing what issues I've had with NetBSD's package system and knowing that it arose from FreeBSD's ports. However, my issues with it are as much or moreso organizational (manpower and attention to detail) than technical. Thanks in advance for selling me on FreeBSD binary packages, or for telling me why I want to avoid them like the plague and find some other solution! --=20 Mason Loring Bliss mason@blisses.org I m m a n e n t i z e awake ? sleep : dream; http://blisses.org/ t h e E s c h a t o n --Pd0ReVV5GZGQvF3a Content-Type: application/pgp-signature Content-Disposition: inline -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.0 (NetBSD) iD8DBQFCJL7WykMMY715wXIRAu0FAKCEVIgJgPJXSigM8lFOQVVKaBUqLgCbBhYe OT9wv3Y4KnKAI4k5naSCMEY= =0GKB -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --Pd0ReVV5GZGQvF3a--
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?20050301191326.GG29540>