FreeBSD Ports for GNU/Linux

proclus writes: "GNU-Darwin has provided a special FreeBSD ports tarball (20 Mb) for GNU/Linux users. We have modified the FreeBSD Ports System to bring thousands of free software offerings within the reach of every GNU/Linux user. The system is not fully automated yet, but you can untar it in your home directory and try it. Just follow these directions. This system provides full access to the FreeBSD ports, so that users can compile and install software in their home directories. Root access is not required."

Comments

Its all about the Debians

[On Lawn]

Well, how is this better than Rock Linux?

Rock's package management system is source based, and updates, etc...

And as for elitism, I spoke with the creater on the phone a few years ago when he was starting it, and he's a really jolly bloke.

Gentoo and the Portage Based Linux Distro

[Jagasian]

A full Linux distro that utilizes a "BSD Ports" like software management system is already available. The Linux distro is called "Gentoo".

One use of a Linux distro like Gentoo would be to add a user-friend-idiot-proof OS installer that plug-n-play auto detects everything about your hardware, from the exact CPU type, MB type, memory type, graphics card, sound, etc... and then keep that system specific info in a local database. After this part of the installation, and for the rest of the life of the system, whenever you install ANY application on your system, the software is automatically optimized and compiled for your specific setup. Applications could be optimized for your CPU-type and the amount of RAM that you have. Maybe even your video card and sound card could be taken into consideration. If you don't have a sound card, any references to sound could be compiled out of the application. If your video card only supports 256 colors, then perhaps, the desired application could automatically be optimized for such a platform.

This would allow application developers to program with a greater assumed knowledge of the end user's system, and it would make it easier for the end user to have a totally tweaked out Linux setup, apps and all! Not to mention the fact that the Gentoo Portage system deals with dependencies automatically, furthur easing end user headaches.

Closed source simply couldn't compete with such a Linux distro because closed source software (Windows for example) is compiled for the average hardware setup, which sacrifices performance for generality, while a Gentoo based Linux Distro could automatically reconfigure itself to tighly fit your exact hardware setup, which keeps generality and great performance.

Increased Cooperation Is Good For Both Camps

[Lethyos]

Amusing as the infighting between the *BSD and Linux camps may be, it's hardly beneficial in our primary struggle to wrench market share away from MS. By developing projects that aid greatly in bringing these two platforms together, we can demonstrate a number of things:

Demonstrate strong interoperability but still have a choice what OS you want to run (*BSD, Linux, MacOSX, etc).

Increase availability of all kinds of software and toolkits between almost all of the anti-MS players.

Accellerate development for both platforms by encouraging developers to optimize their software for both camps.

Now this is a lot to say for such a rudimentary project (and I'm sure the list could go on), but the ideals are there. Imagine if we had increased/improved interoperability between the KDE and GNOME projects (instead of a lot of bitching about the other "sucking ass"). Say, tools that helped unify the appearance of widgets, code sharing layers, and so on.

So, wordiness aside, unity is good. :)