* Sean Murphy [2005-06-27 10:59 -0700] > I like to use the pkg_add -r feature of FreeBSD, however I have run > into a problem where the ports have a more current version of the app > then the package of the same app. > > It seems the ports collection is updated more then the package > collection is this true?
The packages are automatically built from the port-collection. So a package is a binary pre-build version of the corresponding port. The ports collection are updated several times a day, while the rebuild-process takes a long time. This compilation takes place on the package building clusters (pointyhat.freebsd.org and some other cluster of which I cannot remember the name). Once the peckages have been built, they're uploaded to the master ftp-site, and will then be propagated to the mirror-sites. The packages are rebuilt about once a week, I think. > Is the maintainer of a package and a port the same person? Are they > responsible for updating the package and the port? Since the packages are automatically built, they don't have a maintainer in the same way as the ports do. I guess it is the Release Engineer team that's in charge of the packages that come with a release, but the one's that's on the ftp-sites are just automatically built from the ports. This process is prone to errors, and if a port becomes broken, I guess the corresponding package might get out-of-date. You could take a look at the errorlog on pointyhat.freebsd.org, but I'm not too sure about this process. Someone else could probably fill in the blanks. Or you could do a search on the web. I'm sure this process is described in detail somwhere. Bottom line is that the port maintainer makes sure that the port is buildable. The pointyhat-cluster then builds it to make a package. The package as such, has no maintainer of its own. > Packages will download dependencys required by the app does the ports do > this as well? Yes! _______________________________________________ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "[EMAIL PROTECTED]"