# Ports/Package Options in new 9.1 install



## shepper (Mar 2, 2013)

I successfully install F*ree*BSD 9.1 on an old laptop with apm/wireless and am now looking at installing a lightweight desktop similar to that described recently in the howto.

Questions:

Does anyone have insight as to how the binary packages for 9.1 are coming along?  I would love to utilize pkgng.
If I go with ports - I installed the ports collection that came on the USB installer.  The date stamp is from December 3, 2012.  I am debating deleting /usr/ports and starting with a fresh *portsnap*.  If I start with ports and binary packages become available can I transition to pkgng?


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## fonz (Mar 2, 2013)

shepper said:
			
		

> Anyone have insight as to how the binary packages for 9.1 are coming along?


To be honest, I have no idea. Some communication from the devs would be nice.



			
				shepper said:
			
		

> I am debating deleting /usr/ports and starting with a fresh portsnap.


Why?



			
				shepper said:
			
		

> If I start with ports and binary packages become available can I transition to pkgng?


Well, I suppose that once binary packages have been made available you could deinstall your ports (do remember to make a list of what you have installed!) and reinstall binary packages, if that's what you want.


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## wblock@ (Mar 2, 2013)

The conversion to pkgng translates the existing package information to the pkgng database, AFAIK.  Also realize that there are still old-style pkg_add(1) packages around, and will be for quite a while.  Although they have not been updated lately, which is a separate problem.

Even on slow machines, I prefer to use ports.  Packages are canned things that either don't have all the options I need enabled, or depend on not-installed versions of things.

Once the repositories for pkgng are up and available, the situation may change.


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## shepper (Mar 2, 2013)

@fonz

Why?




> 5.6.2 Migrating from CVSup/csup to portsnap
> 
> Warning: By February 28, 2013, the ports tree will no longer be exported to CVS and therefore CVSup and csup will no longer provide updates for the ports tree.
> 
> ...


I am starting with just the base install - a clean slate and believe that I have a release ports tree.  I want to start with an up-to-date ports tree.  Will there be new packages with the old-style pkg_add? I am leaning toward building the ports with pkgng. After updating ports I will add

```
WITH_PKGNG=	yes
```
to /etc/mk.conf


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## DutchDaemon (Mar 3, 2013)

shepper said:
			
		

> to /etc/mk.conf



/etc/make.conf


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## fonz (Mar 3, 2013)

shepper said:
			
		

> I am starting with just the base install - a clean slate and believe that I have a release ports tree.  I want to start with an up-to-date ports tree.


If you already have a release ports tree you can just start using portsnap(8). No need to remove anything.



			
				shepper said:
			
		

> Will there be new packages with the old-style pkg_add? I am leaning toward building the ports with pkgng.


All 9.X-releases will probably still be using the current pkg_add(1) format.


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## tiny (Mar 3, 2013)

wblock@ said:
			
		

> Even on slow machines, I prefer to use ports.  Packages are canned things that either don't have all the options I need enabled, or depend on not-installed versions of things.


Honestly, I do like ports too. And on an old machine running [CMD=""]portsnap fetch update[/CMD] doesn't take too long, but when followed by [CMD=""]portmaster -a[/CMD] it can easily take 2+ days to complete an update on my old laptop and I think binary's might be better suited for the old machine.


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