The ports collection has some serious issues

[Iblis Lin]

I want to talk about another issue: the testing of ports framework

We usually test our ports via poudriere or synth. We have a greate ports
framework to help us build software, and we only need to write a few
lines of code to leveage it. But ...  where is the testing of the framework ?
Those code under Mk/* is quite complex nowaday, and the requirement is
keeping changing (for example, more and more new languages appear,
helpers need to be added into ports framework). This will be a big barrier
for maintenance. Is time to build a next generation framework?

I think about this issue for a few weeks already, but still not get a good
answer. I only sorted out some principles and want to hear more
feedback:

1) Select a modern scripting language
    Lots of testing methodology implemented in those languages.
    Most of them are high-level. The cost of maintenance (hopefully)
    reduce. So, I think this is a good starting point.

2) Not to abandon tons of Makfile

3) Not to introduce any new dependency for a end user

Just my imagination: In order to keep (2) and (3), I will use Python to
build a system doing Makfile code generation. The ports framework
managers and porters just write some Python function and testing code, then
generate a proper tested and stable Makefiles for users.

-- 
Iblis Lin
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