Re: pkg_add and remote packages

[Aleksey Cheusov <cheusov%tut.by@localhost>]

> Being able to use alternative programs, e.g. bittorrent, to grab
> binary packages would be something to look forward to in the future,
> but that is a feature that is not high priority
By switching to using pkg_summary this can be easily done now without
significant problems.  Instead of getting binaries by file mask it is
better to find necessary package in pkg_summary. Interix
(InteropSystems, their packaging system is based on oooold OpenBSD's),
for example, fetch "list of packages" file first, and then fetch
packages by their _exact_ names. There is no need to "talk" to the
server.  This method also requires MUCH less code/bloat in pkgsrc. For
pkgsrc, whose pkg_summary file is bigger than InteropSystems' one, it
is also possible to implement another algorithm.  That is, to try to
fetch the binary package found/mensioned in local pkg_summary (if it
is present) and then if it fails (binary was removed on remote host
and pkg_sumary was updated accordingly) fallback to update local
summary and try to download packages again.

-- 
Best regards, Aleksey Cheusov.