Subject: Re: automatic package statistics
To: Julian Assange <proff@iq.org>
From: Simon Burge <simonb@netbsd.org>
List: tech-crypto
Date: 10/14/1999 06:04:11
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.