Re: openbsd in general

[Jason Downs <downsj@downsj.com>]

In message <3.0.1.32.19970701020826.007f1e10@support.centercomp.com>,
	Eric Hake writes:
>>about the sources - I'm one of those guys who poke constantly in
>>sources *grin*. But the OpenBSD distribution, as of ftp.openbsd.org and
>>mirrors, is very empty, compared to BSDI's. Are there any more complete
>>distributions, or I'll have to download everything that I've had in BSDI
>>by hand and compile it 
>
>I too am coming from BSDI 2.x over to OpenBSD, and my first impression was
>Cool, but sparse...  I went to the web site, and found the "ports" link to
>ftp.freebsd.org.  All the good stuff is there, and it's pretty easy to get
>it working...  I compiled, "by hand", most of the tools I was so used to:
>top, pico, ncftp, etc...
>
>I wish openbsd had a "binaries" tree, or "contrib packs"  It would be great
>to go to the web site, and see "Get the xyz utility pack containing:  top,
>blah, blah", download it, and cp it to the local/bin directory, etc..

I have advocated a contrib part (ala BSD/OS) for quite some time.

However, there isn't space nor any other supporting factors to have it
in the tree, and if it's not in the tree than there's nothing requiring
it to be built as part of a release.

I don't think anyone really wants to put the time into maintaining it,
either.

Of course, ports is mostly a joke, and doesn't cover everything that needs
be covered, and mostly just doesn't work.  I think that's a given.  The
resources and time that have been put into ports should've been put into a
contrib part.

That said, if anyone *wants* to make a bunch of pre-patched and pre-ported
source tarballs, I will find a place to put them.  I have 80% of a 9GB
disk that's empty and slotted for nothing other than public service FTP.

That at least brings up part of the way.

--
Jason Downs		   (360) 891-8132
downsj@downsj.com
	       Little.  Yellow.  Secure.  http://www.openbsd.org/

   "You can't remove egg from your face by repeatedly denying its existence."
                                          -- Daniel Reish, to Charles Hannum