[CFT] packaging the base system with pkg(8)

[K. Macy]

On Mon, Apr 18, 2016 at 12:14 PM, Glen Barber <gjb at freebsd.org> wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 18, 2016 at 12:01:46PM -0700, Sean Fagan wrote:
>> On Apr 18, 2016, at 11:52 AM, Lev Serebryakov <lev at FreeBSD.org> wrote:
>> >
>> > I understand, that maybe it is too late, but ARE YOU KIDDING?! 755
>> > packages?! WHY?! What are reasons and goals to split base in such
>> > enormous number of packages?
>>
>> Just a guess, having done the same thing myself:  it means that updates can be
>> more targeted.
>>
>
> This is exactly the reason, which has been answered numerous times.

I don't know what the "ideal" number of packages is. 755 does seem
large. However, I see it being like KSE. In hindsight KSE was overly
complicated and M:N threading wasn't the way to go. However, Julian's
work brought native threading to FreeBSD. Something it sorely needed.

Similarly, the packaging of base FreeBSD is something  that has been
desperately needed for a long time but the work to get there was
simply overwhelming. Initially there will very likely be painful
problems, but I'm comfortable that all those involved will course
correct and converge on something that most people will be content
with.

I'm sure there are those with well articulated criteria for a
different decomposition of base, with specifics on how and why. Those
select individuals can contribute meaningfully to this discussion.
Everyone else should just applaud their hard work and get back to
work. There are plenty of bugs that could have been fixed in the time
it would have taken to digest this whole thread.

-M