Updating packages Doubts

[Net Warrior <netwarrior863%gmail.com@localhost>]

Hi there guys.

I've got some doubts about upating packages.
I'd like and adivce about what's the best option or less risky to update 
them.

Reading the docs, make update seems to be dangerous, cuz it deinstall 
all and reinstall the port again. Last night I tried to update for 
example Gconf, then, make update downloaded the new package from the 
repo, start compiling it, and then started to dowload LOTS of packages 
which were not installed before, so, what's that? werent the dependecies 
installed when Gconf was installed for the first time?.

Then, what happen if something goes wrong? if make update while updating 
breaks because of something.

I tried to use pkg_ckh, but it seems to update ALL in one pass, I need 
something more practical like in , for example FreeBSD, where I can tell 
WHICH package I want to use, like the portupgrade utillity, which 
downloads the package, starts compilling it, and THEN, if there is no 
error it updates the packages, but maka update seems to work the other 
way, it start deinstalling it first, and do not know how to go back if 
something blows up.

The pking seemed to be a good options, but it seems it uses its own 
database to record the packages installed, so, *pkgin list* doesnt list 
the packages I installed before.

I'm worry about all of this because, if I leave with a desktop unusable, 
In the worst of the cases I can reinstall it, but with a server, I 
cannot afford to to that.

So, I'm lost and confused.
Any avdice/hint welcome.

Thanks for your time and support
Best Regards