FreeBSD's PKGBASE Under Fire: Base System Components Accidentally Deleted
2025-07-30
FreeBSD's package management system, PKGBASE, is facing controversy. Users discovered that executing the command `pkg delete -af` removes only third-party packages on non-PKGBASE FreeBSD systems, but on PKGBASE systems, it removes nearly all base system components, including crucial tools like the vi editor. This raises concerns about system stability and POLA (The Principle Of Least Astonishment), as the same command behaves drastically differently, potentially rendering the system unusable.
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