Questions about packages and ports

[Greg Barniskis]

Sean Murphy wrote:
> I like to use the pkg_add -r feature of FreeBSD, however I have run into
> a problem where the ports have a more current version of the app then
> the package of the same app.
> 
> It seems the ports collection is updated more then the package
> collection is this true?

Yes. Packages are built from ports, so you can expect the ports 
collection version to be as current or more current than the 
available packages.

> Is the maintainer of a package and a port the same person?  Are they
> responsible for updating the package and the port?

I don't believe so, or at least it's not a requirement that I know 
of. All maintainers are volunteers, and the load of maintaining the 
port and building and distributing packages is typically distributed 
over many volunteers.

> Packages will download dependencys required by the app does the ports do
> this as well?

I think this depends on the options that you specify (for either 
packages or ports). Typically, though -- yes, building a port will 
automatically build the dependencies.

More about packages & ports can be found in Chap. 4 of the Handbook:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ports.html


-- 
Greg Barniskis, Computer Systems Integrator
South Central Library System (SCLS)
Library Interchange Network (LINK)
<gregb at scls.lib.wi.us>, (608) 266-6348