I know an awk is needed for using pkgsrc.

But what about binary-packages-only-systems?

It seems like if something uses an awk, like sysutils/free then it should
maybe have a DEPENDS on an awk. (That free is probably a bad example since
it probably only works under NetBSD which has an awk in base.)

A better example is the print/papersize package. Some other packages
require an awk too for some of the installed software.

Maybe there should be some per-package option like USES_AWK. Then another
mk.conf configuration option like AWK_DEPENDS. If AWK_DEPENDS is set
system-wide and USES_AWK is set for a package then the DEPENDS will be
done.

So when I install it on another system, it will install the awk
package too.

Any suggestions for option names?

Is this okay to be done?

The default will be disabled (so it will have no change).

Also related: as I fix these, I will make sure the path to awk is adjusted
if AWK_DEPENDS is set. (Maybe using REPLACE_INTERPRETER.)

Maybe the setting could select the awk version too (like mawk or gawk).

Any advice or comments?

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://bsd.reedmedia.net/