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Date:      Mon, 27 Nov 2000 22:48:46 -0600
From:      David Kelly <dkelly@hiwaay.net>
To:        Gary <medmanks@mindspring.com>
Cc:        questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Basic stuff 
Message-ID:  <200011280448.eAS4mkS48235@grumpy.dyndns.org>
In-Reply-To: Message from Gary <medmanks@mindspring.com>  of "Mon, 27 Nov 2000 19:37:15 CST." <20001127193715.6bfb5061.medmanks@mindspring.com> 

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Gary writes:
[...]
> Questions, can I use many of my Linux based rpms in BSD?  I guess you
> folks call them porting, or some such.

Its possible to use binary Linux RPM's in FreeBSD. The RPM thing is
ported to a native FreeBSD binary in order to handle Linux things for
Linux "emulation" in Linux ports (its not really emulation, only an ABI
translation).

>Also, is there support for WinTV (bttv) in the GUI. 

Best to ask in freebsd-multimedia.

> I just joined the group, and am unsure how to
> run the Linux end of it, if need be. 

% su
# cd /usr/ports/emulators/linux_base
# make install && make clean

Or if you were to install any other FreeBSD port of a Unix binary (such 
as WordPerfect or Acrobat Reader) then the required Linux stuff will be 
installed also too.

There is a loadable kernel module required for support of Linux. If you 
forget to say you want Linux compatibility when installing then at 
worst you have to put
	linux_enable="YES"
in /etc/rc.conf for the next reboot, and "kldload linux" at the 
keyboard for immediate gratification.

[...]
> and whether the newer GUIs are supported, etc.

GNOME and KDE native for FreeBSD follow closely behind the very 
latest.

[...]
> I don't know if you
> have an something similar to SAMBA, or is it SAMBA?

Its Samba. The very same.

I get the impression from Linux users that they are used to collections
of precompiled binaries in rpm format. Much like traditional shareware
collections for DOS/Windows. When they look at FreeBSD there is 
confusion about our ports and packages. FreeBSD didn't have a marketing 
inspiration to give them catchy names such as RPM. And I sense a bit of 
this confusion from you. In FreeBSD when talking about an application, 
a "port" is a collection of Makefile rules and possibly patchfiles and 
scripts, which are able to download, patch, compile, and install, an 
application from its original sources with the command, "make install".
A package is nothing but a precompiled port. Often made with "make 
package".

I install most everything the "ports" way. In the event I suspect a 
FreeBSD upgrade needs recompiled applications I already have the source 
files in /usr/ports/distfiles and can built them very easily.

One thing in particular I avoid compiling myself, cvsup, as building
that binary requires building Modula-3 (if you don't have it the port
will automatically recurse, fetch, and start installing everything it
needs). Broke myself of building that way back when I was at sub-Pentium
speed.


--
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@hiwaay.net
=====================================================================
The human mind ordinarily operates at only ten percent of its
capacity -- the rest is overhead for the operating system.




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