Reinstalling, then upgrading (Was Re: Salvageable? (Was Re:make
installworld error))
Lowell Gilbert
freebsd-questions-local at be-well.ilk.org
Tue Aug 24 12:46:41 PDT 2004
"Charles Ulrich" <charles at idealso.com> writes:
> Just out of curiosity, is it incorrect to simply say that ports build
> packages?
No, packages are indeed built from ports.
> That is, once a piece of software is installed with 'make install',
> is it treated the same as any package that was installed from the installation
> CD?
Not only are they handled the same, but once installed, they are
completely indistinguishable.
> (If not, or if the relationship is really a whole lot more complex than
> that, then my rant below doesn't apply.)
You understand it perfectly, except for the fact that the noun
"package" is often used to refer to a tar file which can be fed to
pkg_add(1).
> A lot of new users can't readily tell the difference between a port and
> package and frequently use the two terms interchangably. The handbook gives an
> overview of both ports and package but stops short of clearly spelling out
> this important distinction.
You mean where it says:
For any given application, the FreeBSD package for that application is a
single file which you must download. The package contains pre-compiled
copies of all the commands for the application, as well as any
configuration files or documentation. A downloaded package file can be
manipulated with FreeBSD package management commands, such as pkg_add(1),
pkg_delete(1), pkg_info(1), and so on. Installing a new application can be
carried out with a single command.
A FreeBSD port for an application is a collection of files designed to
automate the process of compiling an application from source code.
That seems pretty clear about the distinction to me.
> But at the same time, it also implies that ports
> and packages are two completely separate ways of installing software when in
> reality they are actually two parts of the same system.
I'd say that they're actually two different ways of accessing the same
database; a slight difference of emphasis...
> The phrase "ports
> build packages" is a neat and efficient way of rectifying the
> misunderstandings that can occur when trying to give a proper explanation of
> FreeBSD package management.
A quick search on the FAQ and Handbook gives me the impression that
most generic references discuss installing from "ports and(/or)
packages" rather than one or the other.
If you think you see specific places to improve the documentation,
please write it up and submit it in a Problem Report. FreeBSD is,
after all, a volunteer project...;2~
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