From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun May 4 19:05:58 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6AD1B106564A for ; Sun, 4 May 2008 19:05:58 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from fbsd.questions@rachie.is-a-geek.net) Received: from snoogles.rachie.is-a-geek.net (rachie.is-a-geek.net [66.230.99.27]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4C4BB8FC15 for ; Sun, 4 May 2008 19:05:58 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from fbsd.questions@rachie.is-a-geek.net) Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by snoogles.rachie.is-a-geek.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id D0E411CC91; Sun, 4 May 2008 11:05:56 -0800 (AKDT) From: Mel To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 21:05:16 +0200 User-Agent: KMail/1.9.7 References: <481C7F9C.9050405@otenet.gr> In-Reply-To: <481C7F9C.9050405@otenet.gr> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Message-Id: <200805042105.17390.fbsd.questions@rachie.is-a-geek.net> Cc: Gilles , Manolis Kiagias Subject: Re: [6.3] Keeping host up to date X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 04 May 2008 19:05:58 -0000 On Saturday 03 May 2008 17:07:08 Manolis Kiagias wrote: > Gilles wrote: > > Hello > > > > I have some newbie questions: > > > > 1. Am I right in understanding that running "make ; make install" in > > /usr/ports/ turns the port into a package, so that when I run > > "pkg_info", it doesn't make any difference whether a package was > > downloaded directly from the Net or compiled locally through the Ports > > collection? > > When you compile a port, a package is created and installed (but you get > to select the options. Pre-built packages have the default options and > are usually older versions). In fact, you can even use the ports to > create packages and install them on other systems. (See man ports) Probably the most confusing thing for someone new to the ports system is: - that a port that gets installed is referred to as a package - that a tarball containing the compiled files to install a port is also called a package. When you compile and install a port, a tarball is NOT created. The 'make package' target will do this for you. Also, pre-built packages from FreeBSD-servers have the default options, or more to the point the options that are set by the PACKAGE_BUILDING switch in the port's Makefile if present. But since you can make your own packages, it is perfectly ok to use a build 'server' and upgrade 'client' machines using your own packages and your own options. -- Mel Problem with today's modular software: they start with the modules and never get to the software part.