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| author | Daniel Baumann <daniel@debian.org> | 2007-09-23 10:05:13 +0200 |
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| committer | Daniel Baumann <daniel@debian.org> | 2011-03-09 18:22:25 +0100 |
| commit | cd5110f6b8eb77519d704972276cfd5be6bff055 (patch) | |
| tree | 3bc1bcdbff4ec3bd5a82ae34d9efed47b157e3e0 /includes/sid/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html | |
| parent | fdef63e60c2e68226da2fe92d6cc393c1af2b801 (diff) | |
| download | live-build-cd5110f6b8eb77519d704972276cfd5be6bff055.zip live-build-cd5110f6b8eb77519d704972276cfd5be6bff055.tar.gz | |
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diff --git a/includes/sid/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html b/includes/sid/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e92270 --- /dev/null +++ b/includes/sid/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html @@ -0,0 +1,386 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN"> + +<html> + +<head> + +<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> + +<title>The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ - Compatibility issues</title> + +</head> + +<body> + +<p><a name="ch-compat"></a></p> +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">previous</a> ] +[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ] +[ 3 ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">4</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">11</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<h1> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +<br>Chapter 3 - Compatibility issues +</h1> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-arches"></a>3.1 On what hardware architectures/systems does Debian GNU/Linux run?</h2> + +<p> +Debian GNU/Linux includes complete source-code for all of the included +programs, so it should work on all systems which are supported by the Linux +kernel; see the <code><a +href="http://en.tldp.org/FAQ/Linux-FAQ/intro.html#DOES-LINUX-RUN-ON-MY-COMPUTER">Linux +FAQ</a></code> for details. +</p> + +<p> +The current Debian GNU/Linux release, 4.0, contains a complete, binary +distribution for the following architectures: +</p> + +<p> +<em>i386</em>: this covers PCs based on Intel and compatible processors, +including Intel's 386, 486, Pentium, Pentium Pro, Pentium II (both Klamath and +Celeron), and Pentium III, and most compatible processors by AMD, Cyrix and +others. +</p> + +<p> +<em>m68k</em>: this covers Amigas and ATARIs having a Motorola 680x0 processor +for x>=2; with MMU. +</p> + +<p> +<em>alpha</em>: Compaq/Digital's Alpha systems. +</p> + +<p> +<em>sparc</em>: this covers Sun's SPARC and most UltraSPARC systems. +</p> + +<p> +<em>powerpc</em>: this covers some IBM/Motorola PowerPC machines, including +CHRP, PowerMac and PReP machines. +</p> + +<p> +<em>arm</em>: ARM and StrongARM machines. +</p> + +<p> +<em>mips</em>: SGI's big-endian MIPS systems, Indy and Indigo2; +<em>mipsel</em>: little-endian MIPS machines, Digital DECstations. +</p> + +<p> +<em>hppa</em>: Hewlett-Packard's PA-RISC machines (712, C3000, L2000, A500). +</p> + +<p> +<em>ia64</em>: Intel IA-64 ("Itanium") computers. +</p> + +<p> +<em>s390</em>: IBM S/390 mainframe systems. +</p> + +<p> +The development of binary distributions of Debian for Sparc64 (UltraSPARC +native) architectures is currently underway. +</p> + +<p> +For further information on booting, partitioning your drive, enabling PCMCIA +(PC Card) devices and similar issues please follow the instructions given in +the Installation Manual, which is available from our WWW site at <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual">http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual</a></code>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-otherdistribs"></a>3.2 How compatible is Debian with other distributions of Linux?</h2> + +<p> +Debian developers communicate with other Linux distribution creators in an +effort to maintain binary compatibility across Linux distributions. Most +commercial Linux products run as well under Debian as they do on the system +upon which they were built. +</p> + +<p> +Debian GNU/Linux adheres to the <code><a +href="http://www.pathname.com/fhs/">Linux Filesystem Hierarchy +Standard</a></code>. However, there is room for interpretation in some of the +rules within this standard, so there may be slight differences between a Debian +system and other Linux systems. +</p> + +<p> +Debian GNU/Linux supports software developed for the <code><a +href="http://www.linuxbase.org/">Linux Standard Base</a></code>. The LSB is a +specification for allowing the same binary package to be used on multiple +distributions. Packages for the Debian Etch release must not conflict with +requirements of the LSB, v1.3. As of this writing, Debian GNU/Linux is not +formally LSB-certified. However, some Debian derived distributions are. +Discussion and coordination of efforts towards ensuring Debian meets the +requirements of the Linux Standard Base is taking place on the <code><a +href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-lsb/">debian-lsb mailing list</a></code>. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-otherunices"></a>3.3 How source code compatible is Debian with other Unix systems?</h2> + +<p> +For most applications Linux source code is compatible with other Unix systems. +It supports almost everything that is available in System V Unix systems and +the free and commercial BSD-derived systems. However in the Unix business such +claim has nearly no value because there is no way to prove it. In the software +development area complete compatibility is required instead of compatibility in +"about most" cases. So years ago the need for standards arose, and +nowadays POSIX.1 (IEEE Standard 1003.1-1990) is one of the major standards for +source code compatibility in Unix-like operating systems. +</p> + +<p> +Linux is intended to adhere to POSIX.1, but the POSIX standards cost real money +and the POSIX.1 (and FIPS 151-2) certification is quite expensive; this made it +more difficult for the Linux developers to work on complete POSIX conformance. +The certification costs make it unlikely that Debian will get an official +conformance certification even if it completely passed the validation suite. +(The validation suite is now freely available, so it is expected that more +people will work on POSIX.1 issues.) +</p> + +<p> +Unifix GmbH (Braunschweig, Germany) developed a Linux system that has been +certified to conform to FIPS 151-2 (a superset of POSIX.1). This technology +was available in Unifix' own distribution called Unifix Linux 2.0 and in +Lasermoon's Linux-FT. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-otherpackages"></a>3.4 Can I use Debian packages (".deb" files) on my Red Hat/Slackware/... Linux system? Can I use Red Hat packages (".rpm" files) on my Debian GNU/Linux system?</h2> + +<p> +Different Linux distributions use different package formats and different +package management programs. +</p> +<dl> +<dt><strong>You probably can:</strong></dt> +<dd> +<p> +A program to unpack a Debian package onto a Linux host that is been built from +a `foreign' distribution is available, and will generally work, in the sense +that files will be unpacked. The converse is probably also true, that is, a +program to unpack a Red Hat or Slackware package on a host that is based on +Debian GNU/Linux will probably succeed in unpacking the package and placing +most files in their intended directories. This is largely a consequence of the +existence (and broad adherence to) the Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard. +The <code><a href="http://packages.debian.org/alien">Alien</a></code> package +is used to convert between different package formats. +</p> +</dd> +</dl> +<dl> +<dt><strong>You probably do not want to:</strong></dt> +<dd> +<p> +Most package managers write administrative files when they are used to unpack +an archive. These administrative files are generally not standardized. +Therefore, the effect of unpacking a Debian package on a `foreign' host will +have unpredictable (certainly not useful) effects on the package manager on +that system. Likewise, utilities from other distributions might succeed in +unpacking their archives on Debian systems, but will probably cause the Debian +package management system to fail when the time comes to upgrade or remove some +packages, or even simply to report exactly what packages are present on a +system. +</p> +</dd> +</dl> +<dl> +<dt><strong>A better way:</strong></dt> +<dd> +<p> +The Linux File System Standard (and therefore Debian GNU/Linux) requires that +subdirectories under <samp>/usr/local/</samp> be entirely under the user's +discretion. Therefore, users can unpack `foreign' packages into this +directory, and then manage their configuration, upgrade and removal +individually. +</p> +</dd> +</dl> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-libc5"></a>3.5 Is Debian able to run my old libc5 programs?</h2> + +<p> +Yes. Just install the required <code>libc5</code> libraries, from the +<samp>oldlibs</samp> section (containing old packages included for +compatibility with older applications). +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-libc5-compile"></a>3.6 Can Debian be used to compile libc5 programs?</h2> + +<p> +Yes. Install <code>libc5-altdev</code> and <code>altgcc</code> packages (from +the <samp>oldlibs</samp> section). You can find the appropriate libc5-compiled +<code>gcc</code> and <code>g++</code> in directory +<samp>/usr/i486-linuxlibc1/bin</samp>. Put them in your $PATH variable to get +<code>make</code> and other programs to execute these first. +</p> + +<p> +Be aware that libc5 environment isn't fully supported by our other packages +anymore. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-non-debian-programs"></a>3.7 How should I install a non-Debian program?</h2> + +<p> +Files under the directory <samp>/usr/local/</samp> are not under the control of +the Debian package management system. Therefore, it is good practice to place +the source code for your program in /usr/local/src/. For example, you might +extract the files for a package named "foo.tar" into the directory +<samp>/usr/local/src/foo</samp>. After you compile them, place the binaries in +<samp>/usr/local/bin/</samp>, the libraries in <samp>/usr/local/lib/</samp>, +and the configuration files in <samp>/usr/local/etc/</samp>. +</p> + +<p> +If your programs and/or files really must be placed in some other directory, +you could still store them in <samp>/usr/local/</samp>, and build the +appropriate symbolic links from the required location to its location in +<samp>/usr/local/</samp>, e.g., you could make the link +</p> + +<pre> + ln -s /usr/local/bin/foo /usr/bin/foo +</pre> + +<p> +In any case, if you obtain a package whose copyright allows redistribution, you +should consider making a Debian package of it, and uploading it for the Debian +system. Guidelines for becoming a package developer are included in the Debian +Policy manual (see <a href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs">What other +documentation exists on and for a Debian system?, Section 11.1</a>). +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-termcap"></a>3.8 Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?</h2> + +<p> +Debian uses the <samp>terminfo</samp> database and the <samp>ncurses</samp> +library of terminal interface routes, rather than the <samp>termcap</samp> +database and the <samp>termcap</samp> library. Users who are compiling +programs that require some knowledge of the terminal interface should replace +references to <samp>libtermcap</samp> with references to +<samp>libncurses</samp>. +</p> + +<p> +To support binaries that have already been linked with the <samp>termcap</samp> +library, and for which you do not have the source, Debian provides a package +called <code>termcap-compat</code>. This provides both +<samp>libtermcap.so.2</samp> and <samp>/etc/termcap</samp>. Install this +package if the program fails to run with the error message "can't load +library 'libtermcap.so.2'", or complains about a missing +<samp>/etc/termcap</samp> file. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-accelx"></a>3.9 Why can't I install AccelX?</h2> + +<p> +AccelX uses the <samp>termcap</samp> library for installation. See <a +href="#s-termcap">Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?, +Section 3.8</a> above. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-motifnls"></a>3.10 Why do my old XFree 2.1 Motif applications crash?</h2> + +<p> +You need to install the <code>motifnls</code> package, which provides the +XFree-2.1 configuration files needed to allow Motif applications compiled under +XFree-2.1 to run under XFree-3.1. +</p> + +<p> +Without these files, some Motif applications compiled on other machines (such +as Netscape) may crash when attempting to copy or paste from or to a text +field, and may also exhibit other problems. +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">previous</a> ] +[ <a href="index.en.html#contents">Contents</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-basic_defs.en.html">1</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-getting.en.html">2</a> ] +[ 3 ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">4</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">8</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">9</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">10</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">11</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +</p> + +<address> +version 3.1.5, 17 January 2007<br> +<br> +Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br> +<br> +</address> +<hr> + +</body> + +</html> + |