From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed May 7 15:29:32 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 AEBC41065672 for ; Wed, 7 May 2008 15:29:32 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from millenia2000@hotmail.com) Received: from bay0-omc1-s12.bay0.hotmail.com (bay0-omc1-s12.bay0.hotmail.com [65.54.246.84]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 97D738FC13 for ; Wed, 7 May 2008 15:29:32 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from millenia2000@hotmail.com) Received: from BAY126-W42 ([65.55.131.77]) by bay0-omc1-s12.bay0.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959); Wed, 7 May 2008 08:29:32 -0700 Message-ID: X-Originating-IP: [204.249.77.1] From: Sean Cavanaugh To: Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 11:29:31 -0400 Importance: Normal In-Reply-To: <64c038660805070653v5d17139bs3d95981c9fade9a1@mail.gmail.com> References: <466267.30177.qm@web45703.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> <64c038660805070653v5d17139bs3d95981c9fade9a1@mail.gmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 07 May 2008 15:29:32.0233 (UTC) FILETIME=[25C46390:01C8B057] Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Subject: RE: Ports/Packages Philosophy 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: Wed, 07 May 2008 15:29:32 -0000 > Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 07:53:37 -0600 > From: modulok@gmail.com > To: ewqdsacxz900@yahoo.com > CC: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org > Subject: Re: Ports/Packages Philosophy >=20 > On 5/6/08, Dsiuh Djsids wrote: > > > > I am interested to know what some of your software installing/updating > > philosophies are regarding ports/packages on either a server or a home > > desktop. For example, how often do you update your software and when yo= u do, > > do you run something like 'portupgrade -a' or individually take care of= each > > piece of software? >=20 >=20 > Upgrades...unless they're very pressing security issues that directly rel= ate > to the well-being of my server, I upgrade as rarely as possible. Upgradin= g > things has a tendency to break stuff at the most inopportune time. Frankl= y, > I'm not sure why everyone is so adamant about having the latest updates. = If > the program does what I require, I would rather have a more aged version > which has been given time to get the bugs worked out. >=20 > As far as building software, I do this as rarely as possible as well. Unl= ess > there is a specific functionality which requires a set of non-default > compiler flags, I use packages. It makes no sense to waste time re-compil= ing > the same program, with the same compiler options, for the same processor > architecture as has already been done by countless others. For example, i= f > you ran a lab of 300 identical computers, would you re-compile every prog= ram > on each computer? Probably not. If I can get a pre-compiled binary from a > reliable source, I'd rater do that, than sit around all day waiting for > software to build in hopes of benefiting from a few custom build options. >=20 something to think about to is that the ports collection will be more curre= nt than packages. Example of this is GNOME 2.16 being listed in packages collection for a whi= le after GNOME 2.18 came out. If you use a custom kernel, ports would be compiled to run a bit more optim= ized for your processor (i.e. 686) than the GENERIC kernel (486-586-686) bu= t good coding of the program should not have this kind of reliance anyway. if you want the system up and running fast with known working versions, def= initely stick with packages. if you want the latest software, use ports and keep them upgraded. its always a personal call. _________________________________________________________________ Get Free (PRODUCT) RED=99 Emoticons, Winks and Display Pics. http://joinred.spaces.live.com?ocid=3DTXT_HMTG_prodredemoticons_052008=