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Very satisfied MacPorts user since 16 years. I really don’t get why brew is a thing...

fastball 6y ago
Because 10 years ago when I first started installing software from the command line on my mac, a large number of the packages I wanted to install were very outdated on MacPorts, and {CURRENT_VERSION} on homebrew. Also `brew cask` is nice. EDIT: also that Macbook had a 128GB HDD, so space was kinda precious, and MacPorts installing its own version of libs that were already on the system was literally taking up GBs of space.
- kitsunesoba 6y ago
  In addition to outdated ports, several times I had issues with macports mucking with or otherwise interfering with the system-bundled copies of things which was a real headache. Seems like the ideal setup would be something like Homebrew, except it "lives" in the ~/Library/Brews/ folder or something to that effect.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - saagarjha 6y ago
    Homebrew does this far more often. MacPorts is off in its own world in /opt/local, which is actually mildly inconvenient sometimes because a lot of things won't pick it up when you want them to.
    - Wowfunhappy 6y ago
      Tiny typo that confused me, I think you mean: > a lot of things won't pick it up when you want them to.
      - saagarjha 6y ago
        Thanks! I fixed it to limit confusion.
        Wowfunhappy 6y ago
        Completely off-topic, but do you somehow get notifications about replies to your comments? You often manage to respond within a couple minutes. :)
        saagarjha 6y ago
        https://www.hnreplies.com https://www.hnreplies.com
saagarjha 6y ago
I think part of it is that they just advertised a lot more. When Homebrew came out, I seem to recall them advertising MacPorts as basically being old and busted. (Not literally those words, probably, but that was the general gist.)
jcelerier 6y ago
Five or so years ago I evaluated between brew and macports, macports package were much more out of date while I needed fairly recent packages and brew had more of what I needed at the time.
- saagarjha 6y ago
  Not sure about five years ago, but these days it's usually not to bad for popular packages.
vbezhenar 6y ago
ports are for old beards, brew for cool hipsters.

Because 10 years ago when I first started installing software from the command line on my mac, a large number of the packages I wanted to install were very outdated on MacPorts, and {CURRENT_VERSION} on homebrew. Also `brew cask` is nice. EDIT: also that Macbook had a 128GB HDD, so space was kinda precious, and MacPorts installing its own version of libs that were already on the system was literally taking up GBs of space.

kitsunesoba 6y ago
In addition to outdated ports, several times I had issues with macports mucking with or otherwise interfering with the system-bundled copies of things which was a real headache. Seems like the ideal setup would be something like Homebrew, except it "lives" in the ~/Library/Brews/ folder or something to that effect.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- saagarjha 6y ago
  Homebrew does this far more often. MacPorts is off in its own world in /opt/local, which is actually mildly inconvenient sometimes because a lot of things won't pick it up when you want them to.
  - Wowfunhappy 6y ago
    Tiny typo that confused me, I think you mean: > a lot of things won't pick it up when you want them to.
    - saagarjha 6y ago
      Thanks! I fixed it to limit confusion.
      - Wowfunhappy 6y ago
        Completely off-topic, but do you somehow get notifications about replies to your comments? You often manage to respond within a couple minutes. :)
        saagarjha 6y ago
        https://www.hnreplies.com https://www.hnreplies.com

saagarjha 6y ago

I think part of it is that they just advertised a lot more. When Homebrew came out, I seem to recall them advertising MacPorts as basically being old and busted. (Not literally those words, probably, but that was the general gist.)

jcelerier 6y ago

Five or so years ago I evaluated between brew and macports, macports package were much more out of date while I needed fairly recent packages and brew had more of what I needed at the time.

saagarjha 6y ago
Not sure about five years ago, but these days it's usually not to bad for popular packages.

vbezhenar 6y ago

ports are for old beards, brew for cool hipsters.