Re: automatic package statistics

[Simon Burge <simonb%netbsd.org@localhost>]

Julian Assange wrote:

> I've never had any feedback on whether people use these or not. I am
> wondering whether they are worth maintaining (they were certainly a
> gargantuan effort to create). I feel certain that other pkg authors
> are also in the same boat. I propose therefor, that bsd.pkg.mk and
> pkg_add be modified to send pkg.netbsd.org a single udp packet (with
> uname -a, and package info) under the following circumstances:
> 
>         a) on a successful / unsuccessful distfile/pkg fetch
>         b) on a sucessful / unsuccessful build
>         c) on install / pkg_add

A couple of comments:

 a)  I think that _if_ something like this went ahead, the default
     should be off.  Users can be told that if they want to help
     with statistics gathering, they can set a "PKG1984=yes"
     variable in /etc/mk.conf.  Otherwise I suspect the backlash
     ("Look what NetBSD is doing behind my back!") might be too
     much.

 b)  How many people are behind a firewall of some sort?  If you
     want any meaningful statistics (or even just lies and damn
     lies), you'd need a more reliable transport than UDP.  Email
     comes to mind.

I'm not for the idea at the moment...

Simon.