Auto-saving distfiles on freebsd

[Kris Kennaway]

Matthew Seaman wrote:
> cpghost wrote:
> 
>> Why not add this to pointyhat scripts? Just upload a copy of every
>> *new* distfile ever encountered from the author's page to freebsd
>> (unless there are legal constraints not to do so, of course)?
> 
> Some might say that this already happens.
> 
> Well, it's on ftp.freebsd.org rather than pointyhat, and it's only for
> the ports that are built by the package build cluster.  Take a look at 
> ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/distfiles/  (Warning: very long
> listing)
> 
> I'm not sure what the policy is about getting rid of old distfiles, but
> there are generally several generations of distfile in there -- about 2
> or 3 years worth.

Basically we don't delete them any more unless we have to (e.g. porter 
accidentally allowed redistribution of a distfile for which we don't 
have permission).  In the past we (I) occasionally weeded out everything 
except for the past couple of release distfile sets (and the current 
set) because we needed the space, but this is a pain in the ass to do 
and there hasn't been a need in some years.

Thesedays we indeed collect distfiles with every build.

Kris