From owner-freebsd-gnome@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Nov 3 09:09:49 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-gnome@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6789D16A4CE for ; Mon, 3 Nov 2003 09:09:49 -0800 (PST) Received: from creme-brulee.marcuscom.com (rdu74-159-108.nc.rr.com [24.74.159.108]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2D16143FA3 for ; Mon, 3 Nov 2003 09:09:46 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from marcus@FreeBSD.org) Received: from [10.2.1.4] (vpn-client-4.marcuscom.com [10.2.1.4]) hA3H8WuI079247 for ; Mon, 3 Nov 2003 12:08:32 -0500 (EST) (envelope-from marcus@FreeBSD.org) From: Joe Marcus Clarke To: FreeBSD GNOME Users Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="=-kYqYI9SAfIAXQLxwQGmY" Organization: FreeBSD, Inc. Message-Id: <1067879387.817.17.camel@gyros> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.4.5 Date: Mon, 03 Nov 2003 12:09:47 -0500 X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-4.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham version=2.60 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.60 (1.212-2003-09-23-exp) on creme-brulee.marcuscom.com Subject: The GNOME meta-port X-BeenThere: freebsd-gnome@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: GNOME for FreeBSD -- porting and maintaining List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 03 Nov 2003 17:09:49 -0000 --=-kYqYI9SAfIAXQLxwQGmY Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I wanted to respond to all the mails on this thread with why gnome@ has done what they've done with the GNOME meta-ports. First, and someone already touched on this issue, what is a meta-port?=20 A meta-port is something aimed at newbies to get them up and running with a "something" quickly, out-of-the-box. As these newbies become more acquainted with FreeBSD, they begin to say, "you know, I don't really need package X. Let me uninstall the meta-port, and package X."=20 As they begin to really get the feel of make(1) and the ports system, they may decide, "I'm building this suite a lot, but all I need are packages X, Y, and Z. Let me build a meta-port just for those." Or, "Let me simply install X, Y, and Z." Let's look at a fair example. I don't think it's fair to compare x11/gnome2 to lang/php4 since php4 is a real, working port, and gnome2 is simply a meta-port stub. Also, XFree86, and quakeforge aren't fair comparisons since they only have a few dependencies. I want to look at misc/instant-workstation. This meta-port has 124 dependencies (compared to gnome2's 122), and only one WITH_/WITHOUT_ knob for ghostscript.=20 This meta-port was designed by Greg Lehey to install all the ports he thought makes a good instant workstation. It's quite KDE-centric. But wait, I want my workstation to have GNOME. Greg, can you add a knob for GNOME? Greg will come back and say, "don't install this port. It's not for you." He's right. As an advanced user, I know what I want on my workstation. I want my set of GNOME 2 bits, gaim, rhythmbox, galeon, etc. This meta-port simply represents Greg's opinion, where as gnome2 represents the GNOME desktop as envisioned by gnome.org. My point is that meta-ports are geared more toward newbies. Advanced users can bypass the meta-port, and install only the bits they want.=20 Really advanced users (or admins doing bulk installations) can build their own meta-ports to easy the task of reinstallation. Marcus --=20 Joe Marcus Clarke FreeBSD GNOME Team :: marcus@FreeBSD.org gnome@FreeBSD.org FreeNode / #freebsd-gnome http://www.FreeBSD.org/gnome --=-kYqYI9SAfIAXQLxwQGmY Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Description: This is a digitally signed message part -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (FreeBSD) iD8DBQA/povbb2iPiv4Uz4cRAuMEAJ0Q/Fa4BKvSg3iPVlQeuQXHkZRusQCeMERo J4JYI1iTtu5Eb5UQ7ZTYvYc= =W2qj -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --=-kYqYI9SAfIAXQLxwQGmY--