Unified BSD Package Collection

by Chris Coleman

I have long been a proponent of cooperation amongst the various BSD groups. One of the founding principles of Daemon News was to create a place for BSD instead of *BSD.

Its been two years since the first issue of Daemon News. Three months prior to that, it was merely an idea in my head. Fortunately, after I posted the idea to a mailing list, Brett Taylor offered to host the project and become co-Editor-in-Chief. Two months and several volunteers later, our first issue was available online.

The biggest thing I learned from that experience is that the people who say you can't do something are the ones who won't help you. When you find the ones who will, your project will happen. Daemon News has one of the best crews of volunteers I have ever met.

I am always trying to improve Daemon News and BSD in general. Recently, my efforts have even been characterized as a Crusade. I don't really mind, they probably are.

Its amazing how much work gets duplicated trying to solve the same problem by different groups when they don't communicate. I understand that this can't always be avoided and isn't always bad. Each project has differing goals that allow them to add features or require them to increase security.

The diversity in each project is what allows it to thrive. I am not trying to hinder development or diversity in any way. However, the lack of communication and sheer amount of man power driving the existing ports/pkgsrc collections warrants a look at collaboration.

To many BSD users, the ports/pkgsrc collections are what makes BSD so cool. The ability to cd to the right directory and type 'make install' and have the software you want compiled and installed, including dependencies, is extremely handy.

The ports collection, or package source (pkgsrc) collection as its called on NetBSD, allows users to compile and install 3rd party software with out having to tweak with configuration files or apply patches by hand. It also creates the binary software packages that get distributed with the install CDs.

FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD each have a similar system with most of the same software applications present. Each group has made many enhancements to the system to meet their needs and improve the product. FreeBSD has roughly 3700 software applications in its "ports" collection. OpenBSD has around 900.

Just imagine what would happen if we could combine the efforts of all the people who maintain each of the existing 3rd party software compiling infrastructures into one project. Add to that the fact that Darwin, Apple's BSD based Open Source Operating System, will soon need a packaging system and you have a lot of redundancy that could be avoided.

Recently, I posted these feelings to our BSD News section and was met with the usual mix of skepticism and support.

However, I am not the kind of person to let an issue as important as this just drop, neither am I the kind who will give up just because someone says you can't do it. Besides, I have a working prototype, so I know this can work. It just doesn't have any of the enhancements that real programmers would be able to add to it.

The fruits of my efforts so far can be found at www.openpackages.org However, I can't take credit for anything except bringing these people on to one mailing list. The project is currently in phase I (organizing the team and discussing frame work) and is about to enter in to phase II (initial creation of CVS tree and search for hardware).

I expect this project to grow rapidly over the next few months and develop into something extremely useful. Watch the web site for further information.

Mailing lists will soon be available for people who want to become involved with the project. To make this project work well, we will be accepting donations of hardware, bandwidth, advertising and other such things. If you want to become a sponsor of the project, please drop me an e-mail. If you want to be a developer, wait and join the mailing lists.

This is the kind of cooperation that BSD has needed for quite a while. So, bring along an open mind and join the project. It will be well worth the effort.