OpenBSD is a fairly complete system of its own, but still there is a lot
of software that one might want see added. However there is the problem
! on where to draw the line on what to include and not in a small unix-like
! operating system, as well as licensing and export restrictions problems.
! Some things just can't be shipped with the system.
We wanted to find a way for users to easily get software we don't provide
and started to look around. We didn't have to look far as a sibling project,
! FreeBSD, had an excellent mechanism
! for exactly this purpose called "The
! ports collection".
! After thinking about it for a while we decided to try to use their
! collection as is, but due to incompatibility problems between FreeBSD
! and OpenBSD we decided to branch out and create our very own OpenBSD
! Ports Project using FreeBSD's as a starting point.
!
!
! Short description and setup
The ports idea is to have, for each piece of software, a Makefile that
! describes where to fetch it, how to do the fetch, what it is depending
! upon (if anything), how to alter the sources (if needed) and how to configure,
! build and install it. Furthermore some patches will have to be kept in
! the "port" as well as some administration files for the package registry
! utilities. Normally this information is kept in an hierarchy under /usr/ports
(however, this is configurable).
! We recommend reading the ports
! chapter in the FreeBSD handbook
to get information on how to setup this hierarchy until OpenBSD can complete
its own ports.helpfile
!
! Example
Let's say you managed to get a ports tree sitting under /usr/ports, then
you should be able to something like this:
!
% cd /usr/ports/archivers/unzip
% make
% su
# make install
# exit
!
Easy, huh?
!
! Problems and contacts
! Our ports coordinator is currently
! working on a ports statues page - what is done, what is being worked on
! right now, on what architecture, etc.
! If you have trouble with ports contact either
! Ejovi Nuwere (preferably),
! Gene Skonicki, or
! Todd Tyrone Fries
! and provide either patches or details for how to fix things or,
! if you cannot do this, point us at the problematic port and tell
! us what fails and we shall try to fix it.
!
!
! www@openbsd.org
! $OpenBSD: ports.html,v 1.8 1997/11/18 08:12:33 deraadt
! Exp $
!
!
--- 1,85 ----
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
! OpenBSD ports mechanism
!
!
!
!
!
OpenBSD ports mechanism
!
!
! History
OpenBSD is a fairly complete system of its own, but still there is a lot
of software that one might want see added. However there is the problem
! on where to draw the line as to what to include, as well as the occasional
! licensing and export restriction problems.
! In what is supposed to be small stand-alone unix-like operating system,
! some things just can't be shipped with the system.
We wanted to find a way for users to easily get software we don't provide
and started to look around. We didn't have to look far as a sibling project,
! FreeBSD, had an excellent mechanism
! for exactly this purpose called
! "The ports collection".
! At first we tried to use their collection as-is, but due to incompatibility
! problems between FreeBSD and OpenBSD we decided to branch out and create
! our very own OpenBSD Ports Project using FreeBSD's as a starting point.
! This also allows us to tune the ports better to our system.
!
!
! Short description and setup
The ports idea is to have, for each piece of software, a Makefile that
!
!
Describes where to fetch it,
!
How to do the fetch,
!
What it is depending upon (if anything),
!
how to alter the sources (if needed),
!
and how to configure, build and install it.
!
!
! Normally this information is kept in an hierarchy under /usr/ports
(however, this is configurable).
! We recommend reading the ports
! chapter in the FreeBSD handbook
to get information on how to setup this hierarchy until OpenBSD can complete
its own ports.helpfile
!
! Example
Let's say you managed to get a ports tree sitting under /usr/ports, then
you should be able to something like this:
!
% cd /usr/ports/archivers/unzip
% make
% su
# make install
# exit
!
Easy, huh?
!
! Problems and contacts
! Our ports coordinator is currently
! working on a ports status page.
!
! Please provide either patches or enough details for repair, if you
! cannot do this, point us at the problematic port and tell us what
! fails and we shall try to fix it.
!
!
![[OpenBSD]](http://www.openbsd.org/images/smalltitle.gif)
! 
! www@openbsd.org
!