Just a bit of closure regarding the issues I had as a n00b creating the conditions for proper running of fink, and successful execution of programs. But it all works now.
I can engage in this debriefing 'cause, well, it's a beginners forum, I made all the mistakes i could make and labored under all the misconceptions possible, have it all working right and wish to share with anyone ELSE having a bit of a time wrapping their minds around the concepts involved to get it right. People took the time to help me, and I owe an accounting of my success.
It took me two, three times reading the install documentation to understand what I was doing, especially the history and structure of X11, Apple X11, XFree86, Quartz, Aqua and the (in retrospect) simple idea of running concurrent x11 environments. Rooted vs rootless, that took me a couple of readings to Get It.
Basically, my *main* problem was I did not realize I didn't have Apple's X11 installed. A Powerbook off the shelf, X11 isn't installed (at least not on my box), it was only my OSX reinstall (after I hosed the box worse than I could unravel) and the dialogue/choice to actually INSTALL x11 that set off a bell. Once OSX successfully installed (and i updated), I took the time to try and not just install fink, but to actually understand the concepts involved of XonX and what the heck was actually going on. Shoulda looked closer the 1st time I know. I hate being a nimnut but sometimes mistakes are the only way you learn and I guess it was all worth it 'cause I learned a LOT from the experience.
Interesting; one test a n00b can do to see X11 at work inside Apple's Quartz/Aqua environment is to start X11 (from go-utilities), and at the xterm type xeyes , and of course up come the eyes and they follow your cursor around. Clicking anywhere on the Powerbook desktop brings the focus OUT of X11 and back to quartz/aqua, and now the eyes won't follow till the cursor enters x11 space, oh, say the xterm box, and then the eyes start following again. Simple, but elucidating.
Ethereal installed easily, and runs once X11 is invoked.
Gimp installed but has one script error, and i recall it being openjade? I swear it was openjade that fink choked on but....Gimp installs, and of course has a bunch of dependencies. I wish i'd counted how many install before it hangs, but dependencies install and it hangs doing openjade. Reinitialize the install, it picks up where it left off, and installs the remaining dependencies successfully, completing the packages. Of course Gimp itself must itself then be installed, unlike ethereal which installed itself during the fink session. That took me a while to figure out, not too long.
But its all working well, i'm thrilled as can be, x11 runs, ethereal runs, gimp runs, I learned a boatload regarding X11 etc and my hat is off to those who made the magic of fink happen. Amazing....thanks to all the patient people who answer posts from the newcomers, I can now show off the box to anyone who wants to see the power of Mac, the versatility it has vis a vis fink, and the overall power of the Apple solution. And what a community of help there is. Where have i been for the past 10 years? Brainwashed.
regards,
Eric Lecht
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