From owner-freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Wed May 3 15:16:53 2017 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@mailman.ysv.freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) by mailman.ysv.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CA10DD5B303 for ; Wed, 3 May 2017 15:16:53 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsd-lists@bsdforge.com) Received: from udns.ultimatedns.net (static-24-113-41-81.wavecable.com [24.113.41.81]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (Client did not present a certificate) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id AC067CC9 for ; Wed, 3 May 2017 15:16:53 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from bsd-lists@bsdforge.com) Received: from ultimatedns.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by udns.ultimatedns.net (8.14.9/8.14.9) with ESMTP id v43ErTFj064966 for ; Wed, 3 May 2017 07:53:35 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from bsd-lists@bsdforge.com) To: In-Reply-To: References: From: "Chris H" Subject: Re: pkg and packages Date: Wed, 03 May 2017 07:53:35 -0700 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=fixed MIME-Version: 1.0 Message-id: Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.23 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 03 May 2017 15:16:53 -0000 On Wed, 03 May 2017 08:03:36 -0400 wrote > After doing a general pkg upgrade on my server-of-all-work, I > discovered after some research that the Big Grey Background I was > left with was due to pkg having deleted, but not replaced, xfce4 > desktop. > > Trying to install the desktop package, I discovered that it's > bundled with at least 2 unrelated pieces of software: Thunar, > and samba44. That bothered me, but I needed the desktop. > > pkg got totally confused during the install, first downloading 44 > and THEN noticing the conflict with 46. So it downloaded 46, > too(!), deleted the existing 46, installed 44, and then tried to > re-install 46, failing with a complaint because it had just > installed 44 and that created a conflict. > > But it gets better. Trying to reinstall the samba46 package, I > discovered that I'd have to sacrifice the desktop that I just > installed. > > Clearly, no good can come of packaging unrelated software > together, so there needs to be a way to prevent that, or at least > criticise those who do it. > > And pkg should (a) check for later versions *before* downloading > older ones, (b) preferably not install old versions over newer > without explicit permission, and (c) as a fallback should allow > packages to be decomposed at install time such that installation > is not a yes/no all-or-nothing choice. In pkg(8)'s humble defense; it simply *expedites* your request. It isn't the QA dept. for [port] Maintainers. Mind you; I *fully* appreciate your position. I'm simply trying to indicate *where*, or at *whom* to point fingers. :-) --Chris