*BSD News Article 59019


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From: jont@mpce.mq.edu.au (Jonathon Earnshaw TIDSWELL)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: large packages, digitally signed packages
Date: 12 Jan 1996 07:35:38 GMT
Organization: Macquarie University, School of MPCE
Lines: 28
Message-ID: <4d530a$qdl@sunb.ocs.mq.edu.au>
NNTP-Posting-Host: krakatoa.mpce.mq.edu.au
Keywords: packages, FreeBSD, digital signatures
X-Newsreader: TIN [UNIX 1.3 950726BETA PL0]

Ive just tried to upgrade 2.0.5 to 2.1 (via the Walnut Creek CDROM) this is
the first of several messages prompted by the process.

XEmacs (and GNU Emacs) and other large packages should be installed in place
rather than via a tmp directory.
This would be faster (many less file copies) and also would reduce the
requirement for very large temporary directories.

It occured to me that an additional flag to pkg_add, --inplace, which forced
the package to be added in place would make life easier and that as it is
an option available within the package the support should be present.
Obvious clashes arise with the Mastyer/Slave mode of operation and with install
scipts that did not expect to be installed in place.

It then occured to me that people downloading packages accross the Internet
would be well served if they had digital signatures available.
It then becomes (yet another) extension to pkg_add to check digital signatures.

- JonT

-- 
Jonathon Earnshaw Tidswell               <jont@mpce.mq.edu.au>

Postgraduate Student, Department of Computing
School of Mathematics, Physics, Computing and Engineering
Macquarie University, NSW Australia 2109
---
Disclaimer: I think my thoughts are my own, and I believe my writings are too.