Compatability with FreeBSD Ports

[Jeremy C. Reed]

I am replying to three emails here. Please carbon-copy on replies.

On 14 Aug 2005, Justin C. Sherrill wrote:

I think Joerg's waiting on getting commit access to pkgsrc, which will
help a great deal.
I have commit access to pkgsrc. I actively use pkgsrc on non-NetBSD. I use 
it on Mac OS X, Solaris, a ton with Linux, and used to use it with BSD/OS.

If I have access to a fast build machine (hint, hint) with DragonFly, I 
will do work on it in my spare time. (Or if I am paid, I will do more [1] 
:)

On 17 Aug 2005, Erik P. Skaalerud wrote:

Can't we just try to make our own packaging system (like apt wich is
easy to use) wich could perhaps use packages as primary medium, but yet
provide a posibillity to compile software like we do with ports/pkgsrc?
It is a lot of work to build a package system. It is a lot of work to 
maintain a package system. pkgsrc is awesome for building packages; it is 
a little slow, but I can have consistent packages built over many 
operating systems.

As for an apt-get (or yum or up2date) replacement, we need a "available" 
database that lists detailed metadata about each available package. Then 
we need a tool to use this database to make smart decisions on ordering 
(deinstalls if needed) and installation. This is unrelated to pkgsrc. 
pkgsrc makes the packages. You provide the tool. I have provided example 
scripts, example databases and ideas for the "available" list.

(This reminds me that there have been some new tools and new updates for 
managing pkgsrc *binary* packages announced lately, I just haven't tried 
them yet.)

On 15 Aug 2005, Hiten Pandya wrote:

Maybe this is not a bug, but if you type 'bmake' at the top of the pkgsrc
tree, it causes the build to run in a manner which you can't terminate so
easily. Even if you send a Ctrl-C, it will carry on, because it has fired
off multiple bmakes. Highly annoying.
It is annoying. It does not happen on NetBSD. It is very inconvenient on 
Linux as it happens to every once and a while. I will file a PR about 
this now...

As for documentation, I did work on DragonFly handbook but not committed 
yet in regards to pkgsrc packages in addition to ports. It is a mess to 
document both. But I will discuss this more on DragonFly documentation 
list.

Please carbon-copy me on replies.

 Jeremy C. Reed

p.s. I am teaching FreeBSD admin training in Phoenix, Arizona, USA in 
September. I know it is not DragonFly, but if you know anyone needing 
commercial *BSD training, please let them know.

[1] anyone willing to pay for a printed, bound DragonFly book?