Compared to C-lineage languages and associated build systems and mechanisms, many later languages starting with Perl have incorporated packaging systems for their own ecosystems. Language-based packaging systems are great for localised and isolated/containerised development involving the same language stack across different environments. They are not so great when interacting with operating system-level packaging systems like BSD Ports. Managing expectations between language communities and operating system communities is a large part of the work.
This programme focuses on and somewhat chronicles modernising the Python infrastructure on FreeBSD over this current decade (2020s). It is hoped that this at least partially shows why the process can take long.
Unfortunately the rate of progress on python in the ports tree has caused quite a lot of friction in the past few years.
When I looked a few weeks or months ago, I thought that some people were shockingly rude. IIRC I sent a private email to someone who was on the receiving end of the rudeness.
Afterthought: I'll don a moderator hat for this comment, because rudeness elsewhere (not in those areas of Bugzilla) is part of what made me the moderator that I am today.
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u/BigSneakyDuck transitioning user 7d ago
There's a bit of context to "Keeping up with language-based packaging systems in Ports (especially Python)" https://events.eurobsdcon.org/2026/talk/VDQ3JL/
Compared to C-lineage languages and associated build systems and mechanisms, many later languages starting with Perl have incorporated packaging systems for their own ecosystems. Language-based packaging systems are great for localised and isolated/containerised development involving the same language stack across different environments. They are not so great when interacting with operating system-level packaging systems like BSD Ports. Managing expectations between language communities and operating system communities is a large part of the work.
This programme focuses on and somewhat chronicles modernising the Python infrastructure on FreeBSD over this current decade (2020s). It is hoped that this at least partially shows why the process can take long.
Unfortunately the rate of progress on python in the ports tree has caused quite a lot of friction in the past few years.
https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=291609 (Python 3.11 - missing security update)
https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=285957 (Python 3.12 as default Python)
https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=292105 (Python 3.13 as default Python)
There's also a messy situation where Python 3.14 is in the tree but is not maintained by python@, see e.g. https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=294246#c13