[Pythonmac-SIG] Fink vs MacPorts vs Framework

[Bill Janssen]

Dan Ross <dan at rosspixelworks.com> wrote:

> I currently use a Framework of 2.6.2 for my Python work but I always see a
> lot of posts about using Fink or MacPorts builds.
> 
> Could anyone shed some light on why they use these rather than a Framework?
> 
> Advantages/disadvantages?

I think the big reason is that they are an integrated system rather than
separate installs and typically no way to uninstall.  Easy to
add/remove/upgrade stuff, without having to know how everything works.

Of course, OS X isn't really designed to support either.  So you take
your chances with OS upgrades.  I used Fink in 2003-2004, and found that
it got me into lots of hard-to-diagnose trouble, due to minor
inconsistencies between Fink packages, and between Fink system
assumptions and OS X system assumptions.  I finally gave up on it,
re-installed my system to get rid of any /sw bits, and have since then
always installed open source packages from source.  Sometimes it takes a
bit longer, but at least I can figure out what's happening.  (This was a
few years ago; Fink may have improved mightily since then, for all I
know.)

Bill