Onigurama

[Michael Mueller]

sounds great,

what i wonder about is the linux binary compatibility. Do You know, what
it exactly means? Can i simply run binaries compiled for linux, or can i
even compile for linux on a FreeBSD machine? Is it possible to install rpm
or deb packages?

The other already mentioned, that some linux-progs might mork...
However I rarely feel the need for emulating linux...
Have a look at
http://www.freebsd.org/ports/index.html
and you'll see that nearly all programs that come with a decent linux distro
is provided as a FreeBSD-port....

There are some exceptions like the linux-flashplayer or acroread which
aren't available as native BSD-ports... However they are in the ports as
Linux-Binary and none the less work very well.

Regards,
Michael

 

[Gully Foyle]

Yes, you can run Linux binaries on FreeBSD. The linux syscalls are
"simply" mapped to FreeBSD syscalls.

But that does not work in any case. Mostly, the problems are due to
missing shared libraries. But for example the Linux version of
Mathematica 5 runs fine on FreeBSD, Maple, too.

Regards,

Michael

Good point. This isn't emulation and precisely why Linux binaries can
be run in FreeBSD with only +- 3% difference in performance for many apps.

 

[Dick Davies]

Am Donnerstag, 22. Juli 2004 10:22 schrieb Michael Mueller:

sounds great,
what i wonder about is the linux binary compatibility. Do You know, what it
exactly means? Can i simply run binaries compiled for linux, or can i even
compile for linux on a FreeBSD machine? Is it possible to install rpm or deb
packages?

Yes, generally you just run the program as normal - the (Net|Free)BSD kernel recognizes it
as a Linux binary and sets up compatible syscall tables and a chrootesque filesystem
- linux binaries see /compat/linux/ or (/emul/linux on netbsd) as / -
if a file doesn't exist there, they 'fall through' to the real filesystem.
(this saves you putting a linux gtk+ into /usr/lib and hosing all your native apps).

On NetBSD you install the linux-base package and effectively install suse under /compat/linux,
then just run a binary mozilla build and away you go.

It's not just linux - this mechanism supports Darwin, Irix, SVR4, etc, etc.

There was a very comprehensive walkthrough on how it all works on onlamp.com, see:

http://tinyurl.com/5xtbj

 

[David Ross]

The imho coolest thing of FreeBSD ist the strict

separation between base
system and Ports. I'm using 4.10 stable - let's say
that's somehow like

Ok, this seems pretty outdated to me. FreeBSD 5.2.1 is
out, and is very stable. You should try that out. They
just apply fixes and a couple other things to the 4.x
tree now. I use FreeBSD as a workstation as well. The
"is only good as a server" talk is pure talk, not
true. Its very reliable as a desktop. If you don't
want to use 5.x you might consider using DragonflyBSD
since it forked FreeBSD 4.x tree. It has lots of nice
features of 5.x without the bloat, new threading
system which is faster(reason I use it), and its being
developed as a new technology system as opposed to
FreeBSD's sluggish development(lately they have not
been very active IMO). --David Ross




__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Vote for the stars of Yahoo!'s next ad campaign!
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/yahoo/votelifeengine/

 

[Michael Neumann]

Ok, this seems pretty outdated to me. FreeBSD 5.2.1 is
out, and is very stable.

I don't feel that's even as near as stable as 4.10. If you want 4.10++,
then try DragonFly (www.dragonflybsd.org).

Regards,

Michael

 

[Michael Mueller]

Ok, this seems pretty outdated to me. FreeBSD 5.2.1 is

I don't feel that's even as near as stable as 4.10. If you want 4.10++,
then try DragonFly (www.dragonflybsd.org).

I think I'll stick with 4.X unless I need stuff like USB 2.0 etc... Probably
with my next computer-upgrade...
4.X works _very_ satisfactory for me!
BTW: Does DragonFly use the same ports-System?

my 2 Eurocents....
Michael

 

[David Ross]

BTW: Does DragonFly use the same ports-System?

Yes, DragonFly uses the FreeBSD port system plus its
own override ports. It is better in all ways. 5.2.1 is
pretty stable for production use despite what others
say, they usually don't know how to get past the boot
screen because they don't know how to hit 2 to turn
ACPI on/off. Anyway, I use both FreeBSD 5.2.1 and
DragonFly 1.0-R. DragonFly took the FreeBSD 4.9 tree
and all sort of features from 5.x and other BSDs. It
is based on getting better features into the OS and
developing better and new techniques. This is in no
way related to Linux's releasing of new technology in
the kernel. DragonFlyBSD is stable. If you would like
to know more, drop by the website or even on the
official(more official, all the devels are on here,
plus matt) irc [EFNET#dragonflybsd]. --David Ross




__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Vote for the stars of Yahoo!'s next ad campaign!
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/yahoo/votelifeengine/

 

[Michael Neumann]

Yes, DragonFly uses the FreeBSD port system plus its
own override ports. It is better in all ways. 5.2.1 is
pretty stable for production use despite what others
say, they usually don't know how to get past the boot
screen because they don't know how to hit 2 to turn
ACPI on/off. Anyway, I use both FreeBSD 5.2.1 and

Do you mean, the ACPI implementation on FreeBSD in general is not that
stable? I'm running FreeBSD 5.2.1 on my laptop with ACPI enabled (and
yeah, I know how to switch it off ;-). I'm experiencing strange things
from time to time. But that's probably more related to my configuration.

Regards,

Michael

 

[David Ross]

Do you mean, the ACPI implementation on FreeBSD in

general is not that
stable?

Yes, I do. It is BIOS manufacturer dependant. There
are a few BIOS chips out there that like acting up
with the FreeBSD 5.2.1 ACPI. People try to install
FreeBSD 5.2.1, they can't because they are having
trouble with ACPI related problems, so they go back to
Gentoo . --David Ross



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

 

[Dick Davies]

I don't feel that's even as near as stable as 4.10. If you want 4.10++,
then try DragonFly (www.dragonflybsd.org).

<aol>
me too
</aol>

5.2.1 *isn't* classed as stable - it might work but if it goes bang you
have only yourself to blame. It was released because they wanted to get som
of 5 out of the door (I'm using it because my brothers a committer and
he happened to give me a cd set when I was building my last box, and at
that point NetBSD firewire and usb2 was too shaky to use).

5.3 will be officially stable - if you want a production box use 4.10 for
now and wait for 5.3.

DragonFly is run by Matt Dillon, who knows his shit. He was responsible for
some *major* revamps of freebsd4, so if he's doing a new OS, it's worth
keeping an eye on. If 1.0 had been out when I needed an OS, I'd be running
it now....

 

[David Ross]

5.2.1 *isn't* classed as stable - it might work but

if it goes bang you
have only yourself to blame. It was released because
they wanted to get some
of 5 out of the door (I'm using it because my
brothers a committer and
he happened to give me a CD set when I was building
my last box, and at
that point NetBSD firewire and usb2 was too shaky to
use).

OK. please do not answer again, you are trolling. It
is really stable already. You need to go do some
research on how many servers are using FreeBSD 5.x on
servers already, kthnx. Commiter big deal... whoever
wrote the old code in FreeBSD needs to get their head
exampled. Asomdai is having to go through all the code
to replace all the wrong doings. I can't believe
whoever wrote it released it like that.. some really
screwed up ways of doing explicit conversions that
work, but its horrible. I shriek at some of the code.

5.3 will be officially stable - if you want a
production box use 4.10 for
now and wait for 5.3.

I am fully aware of this. Its on the main site Thanks again.



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

 

[Dick Davies]

OK. please do not answer again, you are trolling. It
is really stable already. You need to go do some
research on how many servers are using FreeBSD 5.x on
servers already, kthnx.

wtf is wrong with you?

trolling my ass - I run it. I like it.
(I've been advocating it for 5 frigging years.)
So do most of the BSDers I know.

Commiter big deal... whoever
wrote the old code in FreeBSD needs to get their head
exampled. Asomdai is having to go through all the code

He's a doc committer. Thats how he gets free releases.

[snip]

I am fully aware of this. Its on the main site Thanks again.

So why am i trolling when I say the same thing?
Get over yourself mate.

 

[David Ross]

Good god dude, grow up. Thats why I said not to
respond. Especially to the mailing list. I just don't
have anymore time to deal with people and their
worthless comments like on IRC anymore.. --David Ross

OK. please do not answer again, you are trolling. It
is really stable already. You need to go do some
research on how many servers are using FreeBSD 5.x on
servers already, kthnx.

wtf is wrong with you?

trolling my ass - I run it. I like it.
(I've been advocating it for 5 frigging years.)
So do most of the BSDers I know.

Commiter big deal... whoever
wrote the old code in FreeBSD needs to get their head
exampled. Asomdai is having to go through all the

code

He's a doc committer. Thats how he gets free
releases.

[snip]

I am fully aware of this. Its on the main site

Thanks again.

So why am i trolling when I say the same thing?
Get over yourself mate.

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Vote for the stars of Yahoo!'s next ad campaign!
http://advision.webevents.yahoo.com/yahoo/votelifeengine/