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The thing is, using Linux applications on Linux isn't all that easy. There
definately needs to be a better packaging system, but that won't happen
anytime soon.
On the other hand, commercial apps usually have very precise instructions
as to what one should do. If you're a little creative you can generally
break the rules to get these to run on FreeBSD. For instance, I installed
StarOffice by timing the length of the binary first-stage installer (which
is broken on my FreeBSD system), running it again and stopping it just
before it finishes, and then finding the newly-extracted second-stage
installer in the /tmp directory. (I'm pretty sure the installer works
better on newer versions of FreeBSD).
I think the answer is more to convince application vendors to go the extra
inch and write a back-up install script that's a little more portable than
their fancy GUI things, rather than asking the kernel hackers to go the
extra mile to ensure every Linux program works perfectly.
-- Dan Feldman
Hacker, webmaster and computer connoisseur
Out of sight, out of mind, out of hand.
Visit http://messenger.ghs.ssd.k12.wa.us/, okay?
On Tue, 23 May 2000, Mohit Aron wrote:
>
> >
> > I think you need to keep in mind that FreeBSD is more than just the
> > kernel, in contrast to Linux. The tight integration and control of all
> > of the userspace tools makes system management much easier IMHO with
> > FreeBSD than any Linux distribution I have used. This is especially true
> > when you have a fleet of machines to keep up to date.
> >
> > I think you are right though that visibility need to be increased to
> > attract commercial developers but I think the only way to do that is to
> > steadily grow the user base.
> >
>
>
> Well, I'm not about to give up FreeBSD running on my desktop, but at times
> it is frustrating to not being able to use so much stuff out there that's
> meant to work for Linux but doesn't work for FreeBSD for one small reason
> or another. I think the user base can only grow if it is as easy to
> use third-party applications on FreeBSD as on Linux.
>
>
>
> - Mohit
>
>
> To Unsubscribe: send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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