Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 12:39:48 -0700 From: Vizion <vizion@vizion.occoxmail.com> To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Cc: nocturnal <nocturnal@swehack.se> Subject: Re: Flaws in the ports system? Message-ID: <200510201239.50154.vizion@vizion.occoxmail.com> In-Reply-To: <4357D830.7060506@swehack.se> References: <4357D830.7060506@swehack.se>
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On Thursday 20 October 2005 10:47, the author nocturnal contributed to the dialogue on- Flaws in the ports system?: >Hi > >This is a very low priority discussion but i was just wondering if there >are any known design flaws in the ports system or other reasons for the >ports to be replaced by a new system. > >I'm wondering because ever since i started with freebsd and then >discovered the ports they have been working perfectly so i must know if >they truly are perfect or if some of you gurus out there see flaws in >the system. The system meets its original design specification - so to that extent I do not believe that the system is flawed. There is however, in my opinion, a big BUT>>>> With the changes in computing methodology and user expectations over the last 10 years the ports system appear to me to be in need of some immediate serious revision if Freebsd is going to be seen as meeting current and future challenges and user expectations. I am but one voice and what I have to say is only my opinion. I see the following challenges: 1. The user tools for maintaining the local ports collection do not include an integrated GUI for management of the ports tree, local installation, automated upgrading of the ports combined with configuration files. Such a management could be built using, for example, a web/database system or with a framework such as Eclipse. FreeBSD has been built upon the traditional **ix framework that relies, for its management, upon the sequential use of multiple tools to solve problems. This is apowerful method for problem solving but it has not traditionally included the kind of user friendly GUI to which modern computer users are accustomed to and expect. To deliver a new ports GUI would be a large project and, in a ddition to the foregoing ewquirements, should include a sophisticated ability to search information about th ports and link with port focused dynamic help files and provide an efficient interuser dialogue for each port. 2. The ports system design takes for granted an application centric model which was the only model current at the time the ports system was conceived. This meant that all application were sorted into categories into which, by and large, every known piece of software culd be fitted. The introduction of a framework centric computing model (such as eclipse) and application which rely upon layers (such as java) between the operating and the application/framework have put strains upon the structure of the ports system which it was not possible to anticipate at the design stage. The limitations of the current ports hierarch have been the cause of substantial arguments where I have been a vocal advocate for revision. my two pennorth David -- 40 yrs navigating and computing in blue waters. English Owner & Captain of British Registered 60' bluewater Ketch S/V Taurus. Currently in San Diego, CA. Sailing bound for Europe via Panama Canal after completing engineroom refit.
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