Manual updates

[illoai at gmail.com]

On 11/03/07, Paulette McGee <paulette_mcgee at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> --- Wojciech Puchar <wojtek at tensor.gdynia.pl> wrote:
>
> > > As a newb to FreeBSD I find that the
> > manual/handbook is not great in detail,
> > > (understatement), and I seem to be relying on this
> > questions list for a lot
> > > of help.
> >
> > what's missing? i think it's quite detailed
. . .
> Yes, the handbook is quite detailed; however there are
> somethings missing.  Not to start a flame war; these
> are just a few thoughts and they are in my humble
> opinion.
. . .
> 1) Update ports
>  1a) CVS
>  2b) portsnap
> 2) Build INDEX (depends on the tool; identify tools).
> Also what are the pro's and con's of obtaining the
> index from the methods listed below.
>  2a) "make index"
>  2b) "make fetchindex"
>  2c) portsdb -Uu
> 3) Use Tool 'X' to update / upgrade your ports
. . .
> Now, one other issue; off the top of my head:
> pkgtools.conf.  How does pkgtools.conf interact with
> the makefile in their respective ports directory?
> 1) Does it completely override it?
> 2) Does if it take a diff between the two and build
> the app?

portsdb is part of portupgrade, not at all part of
the base system.  Similarly, pkgtools.conf, being
located in /usr/local/etc/ is used by portupgrade
(and another ports management tool?) which is
not at all part of the base system.  portupgrade
has quite a bit of documentation on its use, but
I am not certain how this third party ruby script
dovetails with a discussion of the (de)merits of
FreeBSD's handbook.  Obviously with enough
time and effort a complete set of documents for
6.2 could be compiled and vetted for accuracy,
although just like the current handbook and
other documentation, it would fall out of date
exactly as fast as new code would be added.
Keeping up to date with third party applications
(ruby scripts!) would exacerbate rather than
ameliorate this effect.

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