Re: [9fans] Man pages for add-ons

[Connor Lane Smith <cls@lubutu.com>]

Hey,

On 29 March 2010 13:14, Patrick Kelly <kameo76890@gmail.com> wrote:
> In my opinion, package managers are only a solution for systems that are
> already a mess. I've said it before, I downright hate Windows, but it gets
> by just fine without a package manager; Just install and uninstall
> 'scripts'. Those scripts wouldn't even need to be necessary on Plan 9, or
> any system that doesn't maliciously abuse a central configuration system.

Installing a program on Windows tends to involve finding a webpage,
downloading an (unsigned) binary, and executing it. It doesn't get by
just fine: there's no difference between installing trustworthy
software, and trojans etc. That's one of Windows' many security flaws.

A package manager should, imo, just hget a url, confirm its origin
with factotum, untar, and mk install. That's simple enough I think.
It's more about the repository than the manager, really.

I don't think Plan 9 needs a package manager in its current state
(with contrib, etc), but I think systems with more software benefit
from them.

cls