Productivity with FBSD, or: "portupgrade" vs. virus scans....

[Freddie Cash]

On Tuesday 06 February 2007 10:39 am, Kevin Kinsey wrote:
[snippage]
> If you're a desktop FBSD user:

I'm a laptop FreeBSD user.  :)  I did the initial install of everything 
using packages, and have only updated twice since then:  once to get KDE 
3.5.5, the other time to get Firefox 2.0.0.1.

> How do you keep up with ports?
>     *Do you have (or have you, at some time, had) much trouble?
>     *If you have trouble, do you accept it as a "cost" of using
> FreeBSD?
>
> How often do you upgrade your ports/packages?

Very, very, very rarely.  The only time I update a port on my work laptop 
is when a needed feature (mainly wireless or KDE related) is available in 
a new release, or a serious security issue that affects me is fixed.  The 
rest of the time, I just use the software that is already installed.  As 
much as possible, I use packages, but will compile things when needed 
(usually overnight).

> Any suggestions on what I might do differently?
>     *Should I quit updating FBSD except for major point releases?

Yes.  Why update if there is no compelling business reason to update?

>     *Should we upgrade the server-type ports and leave the desktop apps
> alone when we get a "stable" configuration there?

Leave them both alone.  Once you get a working configuration, don't touch 
it.  Only updated it for security or needed-features updates.  Don't 
update simply because a new version is available.  If it ain't broke, 
don't try to break it.  :)

>     *How dangerous is it to be using outdated ports (particularly the
> servers)?

Unless there is a security issue, there's nothing to worry about.

-- 
Freddie Cash
fcash at ocis.net