Date: Thu, 3 Dec 2009 08:11:36 -0600 From: Adam Vande More <amvandemore@gmail.com> To: Richard Mace <macerl@telkomsa.net> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Newbie questions (updating, ports, etc.) Message-ID: <6201873e0912030611o3a69982cyd5b8022a1e9b7d11@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <200912031113.39344.macerl@telkomsa.net> References: <200912031113.39344.macerl@telkomsa.net>
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On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 3:13 AM, Richard Mace <macerl@telkomsa.net> wrote: > I recently installed FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE on my home desktop and am > considering > making the switch from Debian GNU/Linux. > > I have a few questions which I am hoping the list can clarify for me. > > 1.) Keeping installed ports/packages up to date. > > As far as I can tell from the docs, perhaps the most convenient method is > to > use something like: > > # portsnap fetch update > # pkgdb -F > # portupgrade --batch -aP (do I need an "R" here?) > > which should first try to find a package from the repositories and failing > that > will fall back to a port. What is the current wisdom here? > > Is it safe to use the --batch switch? As far as I understand, this will use > the configuration defaults and not prompt the user whenever a port requires > some user (options) configuration. Is this interpretation correct? > Otherwise, > is there a way to get portupgrade to use the defaults non-interactively, to > automate the process. > > Related to the above, are the default options that appear in the ncurses > dialogues the same as those used in the building of packages? > You method should work fine except you don't need the pkgdb -F step. Normally i use portmaster -dga to do this which will basically ask on new config entries and allow you to preset them before compiling starts. It's much quicker IME than portupgrade. portupgrade also has a preconfigure flag but I don't remember it offhand. portupgrade also is slower due to it's db backend and ruby parsing but it's still a great utility and I use it when something breaks portmaster. > > 2.) Evolution of ports (and packages) versus evolution of the base system. > > Reading the docs makes it clear that FreeBSD maintains is a rigorous > distinction between the base system and add-on packages (ports). This is > very > appealing. However, as far as I can tell so far, even though my base system > is > 8.0 -RELEASE (and remains fixed between releases?), the ports continuously > evolve (are updated). Is my understanding correct that by tracking a > RELEASE > system I can have "bleeding edge" (or close) versions of ports? Or, do I > need > to track STABLE of CURRENT for that? > Yes, your understanding is correct. that's what portsnap fetch update will do for you. > 3.) Upgrading ports seems to take considerable time (at least with my > experiments on a 5 year old Pentium IV). I am keen to adopt FreeBSD as my > desktop for work (Physics Professor, Research and teaching). Is it > feasible > in a work environment to upgrade ports without getting bogged down in a > compile-a-thon, leaving one with a useless workstation. (My target machine > will be an 8-core HP z600 (Xeon) which leads me to believe that I could do > the > upgrading in the background while I continue to work uninterrupted. I'd > like > to hear others experiences here.) > If you're going to run with ports, you'll be spending more time than simply packages alone. There are things to make it easier though. First and foremost is make a backup of packages you create in case something goes wrong. Then you have a choice of frequent updates of ports tree or intermittent style. If you update all installed ports say on a weekly basis, each update run is generally not too intensive. If you take 10 minutes out you're day to preconfig, read UPDATING, and start the compile you should generally be done. However sometimes things break either during the compile or later in use. Sometimes resolving those eat up time and backup package can be of help there. If you update less frequently eg monthly, be prepared for longer upgrade times, more problems at once and with a longer stable time in between. -- Adam Vande More
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