Port installation without root access

[Frank J. Laszlo]

chris at i13i.com wrote:
>>     This has been on my TODO list for quite some time now, and I havent
>> really gotten around to actually implementing it. As it stands right
>> now, I have a script that allows normal users to build/install ports
>> with some environment trickery and a few hacks. I'd like to integrate
>> this into the ports system. so it would be as simple as a user
>> specifying a particular variable in their environment, NOROOT_BUILD, or
>> something along those lines, as well as other user specified variables
>> to allow full installation without root access.
>>     Normal users would be able to maintain their own package database,
>> and their own upgrades locally. Obviously we do not want to give normal
>> users access to ALL the ports, so i propose adding functionality to
>> allow the system admin to customize what the normal users have access
>> to. Such as a config file that says which ports they can and cannot
>> install, or whether to allow normal user installations at all.
>>     At this point im just probing for interest, and hoping to recruit a
>> couple port guru's to give me a hand with some of the details. :)
>>
>> Regards,
>>     Frank
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>>     
>
> Hello,
> If you are going to allow users to install packages you mind as well give
> them root or admin privileges i dont see the point in letting users able
> to install [ackages on a machine which has more then one user on it but i
> am just commenting as most users normally need to install a couple things
> mostly irc crap like eggdrops or bnc's i have never had a email from a
> customer saying please install KDE for me
>   

That is very true.. but you have to remember. not all users are going to 
be remote. There are other uses for freebsd than a web or a shell server.

Regards,
    Frank