John Murphy wrote:
> Thanks for the replies. It grumbled a bit about different versions like:
> 
> pkg_add: Warning: package
> `ftp://ftp.NetBSD.org/pub/NetBSD/packages/3.0/i386/All/kde-3.5.3.tgz'
> was built for a different version of the OS:
> pkg_add: NetBSD/i386 3.0 (pkg) vs. NetBSD/i386 3.1 (this host)
> 
> But then failed to find some packages, which I presume is more serious:
> 
> pkg_add: no pkg found for 'qt3-libs-3.3.6nb1', sorry.
> pkg_add: 1 package addition failed
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `qt3-libs>=3.3.6nb1' failed!
> pkg_add: no pkg found for 'qt3-libs>=3.3.6nb1', sorry.
> 
> And failed for these too (with similar lines around the autoload line):
> 
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `arts-1.5.3nb1' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `arts>=1.5.1nb1' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdelibs-3.5.3' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdelibs-3.5.3{,nb[0-9]*}' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `arts-1.5.3nb1' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdebase-3.5.3nb1' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdebase>=3.5.2nb2' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdelibs>=3.5.2nb1' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdeaccessibility-3.5.3' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdeaccessibility-3.5.3{,nb[0-9]*}'
> failed! pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdeartwork-3.5.3' failed!
> pkg_add: autoload of dependency `kdeartwork-3.5.3{,nb[0-9]*}' failed!
> 
> It seemed to get in a loop of reporting the same failures, while still
> downloading, so I stopped it with ^c.
> 
> I'll try to build the missing dependencies from source tomorrow.

If I may be allowed to pontificate....

pkgsrc is so-called for a reason: the folks who work on the project are
much more devoted to building from source than to binary packages.  Binary
packages aren't the objective, as they are for example with Debian. 
They're just a natural artifact of the work of working on build
infrastructure and dependencies.  

In my experience, I've found pkgsrc works pretty well, especially if you
stay on the well trodden path.  KDE may take overnight to build, but
likely as not in the morning it will be installed.  

Just one fan's opinion, of course.  

--jkl