Re: The 6.3. FreeBSD Install sucks a lot

On Thu, 21 Feb 2008 05:58:08 -0000,
Patrick TJ McPhee <ptjm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm not sure you have a point here. Presumably the -f option doesn't
cause problems with the package database, or at least it doesn't increase
the likelihood of problems vs a normal call to pkg_add if the install fails
part way through.

Why do you presume that, when several messages in the threat express
opinions presuming the opposite?


For packages with pre- and post-install scripts, an installer which
followed Ross's approach would have to make sure all dependencies were
in place before running those scripts.

Which means that once you're done installing the package... you're not
done: You have to postpone executing at least the post-install-scripts
until the dependencies are satisfied, or make them more complex to deal
with the case of the assumptions that the package depends on not being
true.

Or, for pre-install scripts, you have to postpone that package until the
dependencies can be satisfied, meaning you're obeying the order after
all. So what is the gain here, then, except make the installer and/or
the scripts more complex and more brittle? I don't see it.


% Worse, before you succeed at that, you'll
% have applications installed that plain don't work because of missing
% dependencies, generating lots of cryptic[2] references to missing shared

My experience is that you can get this when attempting to upgrade a
system using the current installer.

But we're talking new installs here, and presumably[1] people who don't
know yet what they're doing, and who'll necessairily have to trust the
installer to at least produce a correct result.

Does your experience include that, when combined with, say, taking
a list of 50 packages forcibly installed in random order? Then, for
stress testing, yank the plug after package 24, and have the installer
automatically sort out the mess? Successfully?

Of course, you can start over from the beginning. It's the easy way out.
But who's to say there won't be another outage halfay through? It would
be wise to make use of what's already installed, and having it in a
known state is a much easier option all around.


[1] There is an assumption of basic competence to the user of FreeBSD,
even if he is new to the system and does not know the details yet.

--
j p d (at) d s b (dot) t u d e l f t (dot) n l .
This message was originally posted on Usenet in plain text.
Any other representation, additions, or changes do not have my
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