# Using different package branch



## eincello (Feb 9, 2010)

I want to build a desktop system using packages, but haven't seen this issue addressed directly.  The Handbook says you can use PACKAGESITE to grab packages from, say, STABLE, even if you're running RELEASE.

Is this a wise idea?  The Handbook only says it's "possible," and I've seen differing opinions from various folks.  Plus, the handbook says STABLE is "not a resource for end users," and I'd like to honor that.

In lieu of wanting up-to-date packages, should I just dive in with STABLE?  Use STABLE packages on RELEASE?  Something else?

Thanks,
Adam


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## phoenix (Feb 9, 2010)

If you are running the latest released minor version (6.4 for 6-STABLE, 7.2 for 7-STABLE, 8.0 for 8-STABLE), then the changes from -RELEASE to -STABLE are generally minor.  In that case, you can usually get away with setting PACKAGESITE to use the packages-X-stable/ directory.

If you are running an older-than-last-minor release, then it gets more and more dicey the older you get.  Trying to use packages-6-stable on a 6.0 box probably wouldn't work too well.


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## fbsd1 (Feb 28, 2010)

I use PACKAGESITE whenever the current release has packages missing that were available in the previous release with no problems. Or target the stable packages world hopping the package i want has finaly been recompiled and packaged. Using a 8.0 packages on a 7.0 system or older is just asking for trouble. Same goes for using 5.4 packages on a 7.0 or 8.0 system.


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## achix (Feb 28, 2010)

The problem arises from the fact that system and ports, by design, are allowed to evolve independently. The problem is inherently hard, one one hand, of course software should evolve even if system stays the same (so, software evolution does not depend on system), while on the other hand, software (and especially compiled software) cannot compile/run outside a specific software/system combination (so software relies heavily on system). This oxymoron is very hard to solve, and i think FreeBSD does a great job to deal with this, while giving the user maximum freedom of choice.


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