linux cross-development

[Marcin Cieslak]

Alexander Leidinger wrote:
> Quoting Kris Kennaway <kris at obsecurity.org> (from Wed, 20 Sep 2006 
> 16:02:15 -0400):
> 
>> Actually none of these seem to be critical for typical compilation
>> needs, except for /dev and /tmp.  The former you'll have to mount
>> devfs to supply (in principle linux_devtools can do this
>> automatically, by startup script), and you can make linux_devtools
>> create a /compat/linux/tmp to handle that problem too (it's not ideal
>> to have it use a private /tmp, but not a big deal either).
> 
> Try to print something in acroread while having /compat/linux/tmp. 
> Acroread will use the linux tmp while the FreeBSD native lpr command 
> (configured in acroread to be able to print something) searches in the 
> FreeBSD tmp.
> 
> Currently you don't need to mount anything for a lot of linux programs 
> to work just fine. I like to keep it this way as long as possible.
> 
> The common case is that people just use the linux base to run linux 
> programs, and not to cross-develop something. What's the problem to tell 
> those people which want to cross-develop something to use the linux_dist 
> ports? Maintaining linux_base as it is is not hard (if you know the 
> pitfalls and some design decissions). Maintaining linux_dist is easy too 
> (it borrows a lot of knowledge from linux_base). Maintaining a 
> linux_base and a linux_devtools port which uses the linux_base port is 
> much harder than maintaining distinct linux_base and linux_dist ports. 
> And distinct ports don't cause as much problems (see the icc part below 
> for an example) as a combination.

I would like to second Alexander on this. linux_base-fc-4 is the first 
fully-working-for-me Linux emulation port since almost two years.
Finally I have everything running as it should (acroread, skype, etc.) 
and you can have Oracle 10 Express Edition fully up and running - that's 
considerable achievement. I would like to thank Alexander and all 
project participants for making this possible.

I was a bit reluctant to give linux_dist ports a try because I misread 
CONFLICTS_* Makefile clauses. It runs perfectly completely independent 
from the base package and provides full chroot Linux-like environment.
I even got a color "ls" there to remind me it's Linux (although no vi by 
default). And I *do* mind cluttering my nicely working small 
/compat/linux with more mis-versioned crap libraries needed for hacking.

This setup really encouraged me to join development of the linuxolator 
since once I got Oracle running you can see that real compatibility is 
achievable.

Alex: more patches to fix small issues in LTP tests are ready, in the 
meantime I try to improve my style(9) skills... :-)

-- 
               << Marcin Cieslak // saper at system.pl >>