# Hrm...what about new software that isn't a port?



## Eponasoft (Sep 13, 2009)

The Ports collection is one of the best part of FreeBSD, no contest. However, is it also suited for applications developed specifically FOR FreeBSD? Virtually all of my recent work, though able to compile on Linux systems and (sometimes) in Windows, is designed for FreeBSD. So aside from normal website distribution, is work like this permitted in the Ports collection, even if it's not a port but a piece of software suited for FreeBSD?


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## ale (Sep 13, 2009)

Ports are not strictly speaking software ported form other OS.
Think about misc/compat[3-7]x or the various ports to manage jails, ports, etc.
If you would like to see your software in the ports tree, create a port that wrap it and ask, for example in the freebsd-ports mailing list, if someone is interested and can commit it.

This can be useful
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/porters-handbook/
but also looking at other ports could help.


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## aragon (Sep 14, 2009)

Yea, or PR it/them.


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## Eponasoft (Sep 14, 2009)

OK thanks guys, that helps a lot.


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## phoenix (Sep 14, 2009)

And if you don't want to release the port (ie have it included in the ports tree), you can always create a port locally on a machine, and just use that to create a package (see "make package" in the ports(7) man page) and just release the package.  People could then download the .tbz file and install it using pkg_add(1).


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## graudeejs (Sep 14, 2009)

but remember, that not everyone will want to use package, because some people (like me) prefer ports only


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## CodeBlock (Sep 17, 2009)

killasmurf86 said:
			
		

> but remember, that not everyone will want to use package, because some people (like me) prefer ports only



Key words, "And if you don't want to release the port", meaning it'd be just for him. The only issue I see here is if he gets a computer that is another Arch (i.e. 32-bit), and the package was built on 64 bit, it will be incompatible (as far as I know).


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