Sometimes [FreeBSD] ports make me cry

[baha_man]

http://lulf.geeknest.org/blog/freebsd/Sometimes_ports_make_me_cry/

[blasdel]

You run into the exact same problem with almost all rolling-release systems -- FreeBSD ports, MacPorts, Gentoo Portage, etc. I think it's totally worth the compilation annoyance, even if it does attract ricers: http://funroll-loops.info

It looks like Arch Linux has solved it for most cases by having packages pre-built for the common options when they get checked into the rolling repo.

[joshu]

FreeBSD has binary packages. Just tell it to use them.

[dazzawazza]

Doesn't PC-BSD do all the hard work for you with it's package system?

http://www.pcbsd.org/

[c00p3r]

FreeBSD runs well under KVM or MS Virtual Whatever-Its-Name-Today. Just install a copy and build packages you want.

btw, /usr/ports/ports-mgmt/portupgrade is your friend.