[Lilux-help] FreeBSD, compile from source and Distributions

[Patrick Useldinger]

Michael Scherer wrote:

> there is binary package avaliaible for *BSD. Just use pkg_add command.
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/packages-using.html

I know that. However, packages are not centralized and not always 
available. I tried to find a package for OOO 1.1.1 or 1.1.2, and that 
prooved to be impossible, although a big product like OOO *should* be 
available as a binary.

In the FreeBSD world, packages are not universally accepted and 
available, although there is support for them. "Compile from source" is 
the usual answer.

> there is also a emulation layer, for  binary compatibility.
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/linuxemu.html

Again, I read the handbook, and BTW also "The complete FreeBSD". Linux 
emulation is not complete, and even less for software written for 2.6 
kernels. And it always feels like running Win16 programs on OS/2: you 
know that you are going to be out of the game one day or another.

> and there is commercial support, :
> http://www.freebsd.org/commercial/consulting.html

This is commercial support for the OS. What I was trying to say is 
things like commercial, or at least non-open source drivers for hardware 
and user applications which can complete a lack of open source software. 
FreeBSD certainly lacks those.

Regards,
-pu