From owner-freebsd-ports@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Jul 5 21:33:49 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0ED0E16A4CE for ; Mon, 5 Jul 2004 21:33:49 +0000 (GMT) Received: from moutng.kundenserver.de (moutng.kundenserver.de [212.227.126.191]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A079943D48 for ; Mon, 5 Jul 2004 21:33:48 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from damaker@fillibach.de) Received: from [212.227.126.155] (helo=mrelayng.kundenserver.de) by moutng.kundenserver.de with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1) id 1Bhb5t-0002rj-00 for freebsd-ports@freebsd.org; Mon, 05 Jul 2004 23:33:45 +0200 Received: from port-195-158-170-55.dynamic.qsc.de ([195.158.170.55] helo=auth.smtp.kundenserver.de) by mrelayng.kundenserver.de with asmtp (Exim 3.35 #1) id 1Bhb5s-0003Xt-00 for freebsd-ports@freebsd.org; Mon, 05 Jul 2004 23:33:45 +0200 Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2004 23:35:28 +0200 To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org From: "Konstantin 'Kosta' Welke" Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; delsp=yes; charset=iso-8859-1 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Message-ID: User-Agent: Opera M2/7.51 (FreeBSD, build 689) X-Provags-ID: kundenserver.de abuse@kundenserver.de auth:02be70226e3f6279351cb9cd6c3e2923 Subject: General issues with the ports system X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2004 21:33:49 -0000 Hello! I have some questions about the FreeBSD ports system. I did not find any further "real" documentation other than the FreeBSD handbook and the porters guide, so I guess I'll just ask you guys. a) Is it possible to "downgrade" ports? Theoretically, it should be possible given that the ports dir is a cvs tree. Is there any non- painful way? b) Is it possible to use & install ports without having a ports tree? I know that it's not, but other than the directory for the single port (multimedia/mplayer for example) and the distfile directory, is there anything more that is needed by it? Could one, with some not too major changes, get rid of the big big ports tree? c) What issues do you have with the FreeBSD ports system? What features are you missing? Don't get me wrong, this isn't really a complaint. I love the way it is unbelievably easy to compile&install software on FreeBSD. These things are just what I thought could be improved, maybe. And before I'm trying it on my own (maybe... *g*), I guess it couldn't hurt to ask. cya, Kosta