When I install a package using the remote fetch feature in pkg_add for example pkg_add -r gaim it grabs me the "latest" gaim.tbz (which is just a symlink to a gaim-0.63.tbz somewhere else on the server) from "ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-5.1-release/Latest/" and installs any required dependencies that gaim requires.

Is it possible to automatically get the dependencies for newer versions of said program, for example something like the version available at "ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ports/i386/packages-stable/All/gaim-32434.tbz" and have it install those too? Either by perhaps changing the 'remote-get' location? I noticed on one site it mentioned you get just do a direct "pkg_add ftp://..." and it will install the dependencies, but it seems to just fetch the file first and then get it only warning of out of date versions.

I hate compiling on this machine as its extremely slow and speed is one of the reasons I have FreeBSD in the first place - compiling is almost not an option. There has to be a way of upgrading/installing newer packages easier? I beleive portsupgrade is only for the ports tree /w sources no?

Sure you could install depenencies first, but (1) some of them require deleting and upgrading first, (2) install a dependency you need to install its dependencies, which could go on...and on...

Whats the goods on this and how the normal people who use packages do it?

:echelon

Aaa the beauty of BSD has not been discovered by you. Okay to install gaim for instance all you have to do is:

locate gaim

look for the folder with a file "Makefile" on my system it is here:
/usr/ports/net/gaim

cd to that folder
cd /usr/ports/net/gaim
then type in:

make install clean

AND YOU HAVE IT!!! assume no? yeah you can do that with any file, it automatically downloads dependences and makes sure you have the latest version! God damn I love BSD.

What is you window manager? I suggest Fluxbox. It loads really fast doesn't use much resources and you can have each key or combination of keys on the keyboard do ANYTHING.

Again just type:
locate fluxbox

cd the folder with the make file then type in
make install clean

then you have to do this too:
http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/docbook/en/...ocs.html#AEN122

You are probably using startx, so all you have to do is:
locate .xsession
then type in
nano .xsession
(you might not have nano, nano is the best editor well a whole lot better than vi for just editing a startup file or bash file. to install just type in "locate nano" then cd to the Makefile directory then type in: make install clean.)

and make sure it says:
exec fluxbox(you might have to give it a directory)

GOOD LUCK!!!

I've been using FreeBSD on my laptops,FreeBSD 4.8, FreeBSD 4.9,FreeBSD 5.1 and its easy to install package..
what you do is just type:
# whereis gaim
and then cd to that directory
and just do
# make install clean
And you've got your package installed