Seriously confused but keeping packages current

[newhouse%rockhead.com@localhost (Paul Newhouse)]

NetBSD 5+, pkgsrc 2009Q2

I run "pkg_chk -Nq"  which I thought would tell me what currently installed
packages have more current versions available.  This probably what I don't 
understand correctly?  Because it tells me:

   hal: hal-0.5.12

I currently have .11nb23 installed.  If I go to "sysutls/hal" and make update
I still have version .11nnb23 when that completes.

Also, ruby is flagged as "ruby: ruby-1.9.1.129 (Ruby 1.9.1-p129)" and updating
or deleting and installing leaves me with:


  ruby18-base-1.8.7.174 Ruby 1.8 based release minimum package
  ruby18-tcpwrap-0.6nb5 TCP wrappers library for Ruby
  ruby-1.8.7.174      Wrapper package for Ruby programming language

So I figure I don't understand how to do update to the latest packages, only
for those packages I already have installed.  Is this tied into 2009Q3? or ???

Clarification is appreciated.

TIA,
Paul