From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Tue Dec 8 10:50:44 2015 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@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 E03439D37AD for ; Tue, 8 Dec 2015 10:50:44 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from brandon.wandersee@gmail.com) Received: from mail-ig0-f196.google.com (mail-ig0-f196.google.com [209.85.213.196]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 (128/128 bits)) (Client CN "smtp.gmail.com", Issuer "Google Internet Authority G2" (verified OK)) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id BB060198C for ; Tue, 8 Dec 2015 10:50:44 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from brandon.wandersee@gmail.com) Received: by igcgq6 with SMTP id gq6so1875574igc.3 for ; Tue, 08 Dec 2015 02:50:43 -0800 (PST) X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20130820; h=references:from:to:cc:subject:in-reply-to:date:message-id :mime-version:content-type; bh=DtYdmUcIydT/I5whasMi4KHyaptmmB4B7xAwiE0Entg=; b=GX4iEpk/8OuU2vhf8H/6V3aYYJBIfPrcekSoSaqeg7qKKs13Xcep/xg43vGC9e5JZ2 /izjjN7ZXqnqsAP0U/OlRRZ4rjCK4hJM1F8LaA4An9o6xupSAGnxqf0l7afQ8OSnJOft VCDEWOfIHbvjSuuIX6jQONzaIUXCxVzZieB6616BCs6gdU0ldMRFI1pGE8SiBGdAzl/Y NqBl3sUutLKVnHHjC+eH7B0esmIt54ZSyTWBAxw2sLuGStwtITbO7RYuioUuUNmpKyxD czsS5VxruL4nWT+Nv43weCfXGUtjY7ZGy2pVGt7HPjTwS7DD1qupOKfY+IJEvCixeIa+ HvZg== X-Received: by 10.50.137.99 with SMTP id qh3mr19099182igb.27.1449556724750; Mon, 07 Dec 2015 22:38:44 -0800 (PST) Received: from WorkBox.Home.gmail.com (63-231-131-191.mpls.qwest.net. [63.231.131.191]) by smtp.gmail.com with ESMTPSA id 26sm953528iod.9.2015.12.07.22.38.43 (version=TLS1_2 cipher=ECDHE-RSA-AES128-GCM-SHA256 bits=128/128); Mon, 07 Dec 2015 22:38:43 -0800 (PST) References: <86io4a6l2w.fsf@WorkBox.Home> From: Brandon J. Wandersee To: John Aten Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Migrating to FreeBSD from Debian In-reply-to: Date: Tue, 08 Dec 2015 00:38:42 -0600 Message-ID: <86lh951m31.fsf@WorkBox.Home> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.20 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 08 Dec 2015 10:50:45 -0000 John Aten writes: > I am coming from Debian also, and I was initially intimidated by > ports. I still am, but I the more I think about it, the more I favor > the idea of ports over packages. One source of confusion is the all > the options one is faced with when installing from ports; I don't know > exactly where to look for documentation on what would be better/worse > to select and why. Is this a matter of checking with the documentation > of the program to be installed? Or is there FreeBSD specific > information on this somewhere? It might be worthwhile check the application documentation, but the port options are presented as an interactive checklist for each port, with each option briefly described. If it seems overwhelming at first, just know that while quite a few ports have some esoteric options, many build-time options are for features or functionality you would use directly, like choosing which codecs a music player should support or whether an application should include a GUI. Generally, the first time I build a port I exclude what I know I don't need, include what I do, and leave anything I don't understand alone. -- ================================================================= :: Brandon Wandersee :: :: brandon.wandersee@gmail.com :: ================================================================== 'A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.' - Douglas Adams ==================================================================