Date: Sat, 06 Jul 2002 18:31:29 -0700 From: Wes Peters <wes@softweyr.com> To: Munish Chopra <mchopra@engmail.uwaterloo.ca> Cc: arch@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Package system flaws? Message-ID: <3D2799F1.16F76FE2@softweyr.com> References: <20020706220511.GA88651@scoobysnax.jaded.net> <20020706221830.GA318@CPE0030ab0ef2bb.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com>
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Munish Chopra wrote:
>
> On 2002-07-06 18:05 +0000, Dan Moschuk wrote:
> >
> > I've been doing some thinking lately about our ports system versus what
> > other systems have adopted and was curious as to what people think on
> > the subject? What does FreeBSD do well? Where can we improve? How does it
> > rate against the umpteen Linux flavours?
> >
> > I'm not sure that this classifies as an architectual discussion (for now)
> > so if you feel its appropriate please feel free to redirect to ports@.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > -Dan
> >
>
> A while back I heard some 'rumours' (oh boy, rumours...) that FreeBSD
> was either going to switch to OpenPackages or to a new XML-based system.
OpenPackages has some interesting, sticky problems to solve that are not
necessarily problems for FreeBSD. For instance, if you've decided to
store archives of files in tar format, which tar do you use? Do you write
the code so it can recognize and use the native tar utility on every system,
or do you mandate an OP-approved tar utility and require the sysadmin to
install OPtar on the system via some method other than OPpkg_add, which
only supports OPtar?
> This was around the same time jkh posted something on the subject of
> ports or sysinstall or in that direction. In any case, OpenPackages has
> lost wind for now, though I've been told they just need someone to pick
> up the slack and get everyone rolling again.
What they really need is somebody to just make the current system work,
rather than worrying about the global package architecture of the 22nd
century.
> As for our current ports system, many people (including me, though I'm
> by no means an expert on the subject) feel that it's very limiting and
> has some substantial flaws (concept is great, implementation is
> lacking). Most of these come up when you're porting an app and you need
> to make some ugly hacks for stuff to work the way you want it to. Also,
> looking at the 'big picture', a few other concerns come up.
Have you followed up by making some improvements or suggesting an improved
architecture? If this is the start of that process, thank you in advance.
Please be sure to scan the archives for the past 3 or 4 iterations of this
conversation so you'll truly be ready to address the issues.
> I'm sure some other people have more concrete things to say.
I hope so. ;^)
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
wes@softweyr.com http://softweyr.com/
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