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diff --git a/includes/etch/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html b/includes/etch/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..375bff4 --- /dev/null +++ b/includes/etch/common/doc/FAQ/html/ch-compat.en.html @@ -0,0 +1,554 @@ +<!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> + +<link href="index.en.html" rel="start"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html" rel="prev"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html" rel="next"> +<link href="index.en.html#contents" rel="contents"> +<link href="index.en.html#copyright" rel="copyright"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html" rel="chapter" title="1 Definitions and overview"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html" rel="chapter" title="2 Getting and installing Debian GNU/Linux"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="3 Choosing a Debian distribution"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html" rel="chapter" title="4 Compatibility issues"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html" rel="chapter" title="5 Software available in the Debian system"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html" rel="chapter" title="6 The Debian FTP archives"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html" rel="chapter" title="7 Basics of the Debian package management system"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html" rel="chapter" title="8 The Debian package management tools"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html" rel="chapter" title="9 Keeping your Debian system up-to-date"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html" rel="chapter" title="10 Debian and the kernel"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="11 Customizing your installation of Debian GNU/Linux"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html" rel="chapter" title="12 Getting support for Debian GNU/Linux"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html" rel="chapter" title="13 Contributing to the Debian Project"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html" rel="chapter" title="14 Redistributing Debian GNU/Linux in a commercial product"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html" rel="chapter" title="15 Changes expected in the next major release of Debian"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html" rel="chapter" title="16 General information about the FAQ"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisfaq" rel="section" title="1.1 What is this FAQ?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-whatisdebian" rel="section" title="1.2 What is Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-linux" rel="section" title="1.3 OK, now I know what Debian is... what is Linux?!"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-non-linux" rel="section" title="1.4 Does Debian just do GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-difference" rel="section" title="1.5 What is the difference between Debian GNU/Linux and other Linux distributions? Why should I choose Debian over some other distribution?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-gnu" rel="section" title="1.6 How does the Debian project fit in or compare with the Free Software Foundation's GNU project?"> +<link href="ch-basic_defs.en.html#s-pronunciation" rel="section" title="1.7 How does one pronounce Debian and what does this word mean?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-version" rel="section" title="2.1 What is the latest version of Debian?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-updatestable" rel="section" title="2.2 Are there package upgrades in `stable'?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-boot-floppies" rel="section" title="2.3 Where/how can I get the Debian installation disks?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdrom" rel="section" title="2.4 How do I install the Debian from CD-ROMs?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-cdimage-symlinks" rel="section" title="2.5 Why does the official stable released CD-ROM contain symlinks for `frozen' and `unstable'? I thought this CD contains just `stable'!"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-remoteinstall" rel="section" title="2.6 Can I get and install Debian directly from a remote Internet site?"> +<link href="ch-getting.en.html#s-alternativebootinstaller" rel="section" title="2.7 Are there any alternative strategies for booting the system installer?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1" rel="section" title="3.1 Which Debian distribution (stable/testing/unstable) is better for me?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2" rel="section" title="3.2 But what about Knoppix, Linex, Ubuntu, and others?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-arches" rel="section" title="4.1 On what hardware architectures/systems does Debian GNU/Linux run?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherdistribs" rel="section" title="4.2 How compatible is Debian with other distributions of Linux?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherunices" rel="section" title="4.3 How source code compatible is Debian with other Unix systems?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-otherpackages" rel="section" title="4.4 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?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-non-debian-programs" rel="section" title="4.5 How should I install a non-Debian program?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-termcap" rel="section" title="4.6 Why can't I compile programs that require libtermcap?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-accelx" rel="section" title="4.7 Why can't I install AccelX?"> +<link href="ch-compat.en.html#s-motifnls" rel="section" title="4.8 Why do my old XFree 2.1 Motif applications crash?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-apps" rel="section" title="5.1 What types of applications and development software are available for Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-softwareauthors" rel="section" title="5.2 Who wrote all that software?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pkglist" rel="section" title="5.3 How can I get a current list of programs that have been packaged for Debian?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-buildenv" rel="section" title="5.4 How can I install a developer's environment to build packages?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-missing" rel="section" title="5.5 What is missing from Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-no-devs" rel="section" title="5.6 Why do I get "ld: cannot find -lfoo" messages when compiling programs? Why aren't there any libfoo.so files in Debian library packages?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-java" rel="section" title="5.7 (How) Does Debian support Java?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-isitdebian" rel="section" title="5.8 How can I check that I am using a Debian system, and what version is it?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonenglish" rel="section" title="5.9 How does Debian support non-English languages?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-pine" rel="section" title="5.10 Where is pine?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-qmail" rel="section" title="5.11 Where is qmail/ezmlm/djbdns?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-flash" rel="section" title="5.12 Where is a player for Flash (SWF)?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-googleearth" rel="section" title="5.13 Where is Google Earth?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-voip" rel="section" title="5.14 Where is VoIP software?"> +<link href="ch-software.en.html#s-nonfreewireless" rel="section" title="5.15 I have a wireless network card which doesn't work with Linux. What should I do?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dists" rel="section" title="6.1 How many Debian distributions are there?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-codenames" rel="section" title="6.2 What are all those names like etch, lenny, etc.?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sid" rel="section" title="6.3 What about "sid"?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-stable" rel="section" title="6.4 What does the stable directory contain?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-testing" rel="section" title="6.5 What does the testing distribution contain?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-unstable" rel="section" title="6.6 What does the unstable distribution contain?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-dirtree" rel="section" title="6.7 What are all those directories at the Debian FTP archives?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-archsections" rel="section" title="6.8 What are all those directories inside <samp>dists/stable/main</samp>?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-source" rel="section" title="6.9 Where is the source code?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-pools" rel="section" title="6.10 What's in the <samp>pool</samp> directory?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-incoming" rel="section" title="6.11 What is "incoming"?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-ownrepository" rel="section" title="6.12 How do I set up my own apt-able repository?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-package" rel="section" title="7.1 What is a Debian package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-deb-format" rel="section" title="7.2 What is the format of a Debian binary package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgname" rel="section" title="7.3 Why are Debian package file names so long?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-controlfile" rel="section" title="7.4 What is a Debian control file?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-conffile" rel="section" title="7.5 What is a Debian conffile?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-maintscripts" rel="section" title="7.6 What is a Debian preinst, postinst, prerm, and postrm script?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-priority" rel="section" title="7.7 What is an <em>Essential</em>, <em>Required</em>, <em>Important</em>, <em>Standard</em>, <em>Optional</em>, or <em>Extra</em> package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-virtual" rel="section" title="7.8 What is a Virtual Package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-depends" rel="section" title="7.9 What is meant by saying that a package <em>Depends</em>, <em>Recommends</em>, <em>Suggests</em>, <em>Conflicts</em>, <em>Replaces</em> or <em>Provides</em> another package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pre-depends" rel="section" title="7.10 What is meant by Pre-Depends?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-pkgstatus" rel="section" title="7.11 What is meant by <em>unknown</em>, <em>install</em>, <em>remove</em>, <em>purge</em> and <em>hold</em> in the package status?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-puttingonhold" rel="section" title="7.12 How do I put a package on hold?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcepkgs" rel="section" title="7.13 How do I install a source package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-sourcebuild" rel="section" title="7.14 How do I build binary packages from a source package?"> +<link href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html#s-creatingdebs" rel="section" title="7.15 How do I create Debian packages myself?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-pkgprogs" rel="section" title="8.1 What programs does Debian provide for managing its packages?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-updaterunning" rel="section" title="8.2 Debian claims to be able to update a running program; how is this accomplished?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-whatpackages" rel="section" title="8.3 How can I tell what packages are already installed on a Debian system?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-listfiles" rel="section" title="8.4 How to display the files of a package installed?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-filesearch" rel="section" title="8.5 How can I find out what package produced a particular file?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-datapackages" rel="section" title="8.6 Why doesn't get `foo-data' removed when I uninstall `foo'? How do I make sure old unused library-packages get purged?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-howtocurrent" rel="section" title="9.1 How can I keep my Debian system current?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-upgradesingle" rel="section" title="9.2 Must I go into single user mode in order to upgrade a package?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-savedebs" rel="section" title="9.3 Do I have to keep all those .deb archive files on my disk?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-keepingalog" rel="section" title="9.4 How can I keep a log of the packages I added to the system? I'd like to know when which package upgrades and removals have occured!"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-autoupdate" rel="section" title="9.5 Can I automatically update the system?"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptproxy" rel="section" title="9.6 I have several machines how can I download the updates only one time?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-non-debian-kernel" rel="section" title="10.1 Can I install and compile a kernel without some Debian-specific tweaking?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-customkernel" rel="section" title="10.2 What tools does Debian provide to build custom kernels?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-custombootdisk" rel="section" title="10.3 How can I make a custom boot floppy?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-modules" rel="section" title="10.4 What special provisions does Debian provide to deal with modules?"> +<link href="ch-kernel.en.html#s-removeoldkernel" rel="section" title="10.5 Can I safely de-install an old kernel package, and if so, how?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-papersize" rel="section" title="11.1 How can I ensure that all programs use the same paper size?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-hardwareaccess" rel="section" title="11.2 How can I provide access to hardware peripherals, without compromising security?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-consolefont" rel="section" title="11.3 How do I load a console font on startup the Debian way?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-appdefaults" rel="section" title="11.4 How can I configure an X11 program's application defaults?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-booting" rel="section" title="11.5 Every distribution seems to have a different boot-up method. Tell me about Debian's."> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-custombootscripts" rel="section" title="11.6 It looks as if Debian does not use <samp>rc.local</samp> to customize the boot process; what facilities are provided?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-interconffiles" rel="section" title="11.7 How does the package management system deal with packages that contain configuration files for other packages?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-divert" rel="section" title="11.8 How do I override a file installed by a package, so that a different version can be used instead?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-localpackages" rel="section" title="11.9 How can I have my locally-built package included in the list of available packages that the package management system knows about?"> +<link href="ch-customizing.en.html#s-diverse" rel="section" title="11.10 Some users like mawk, others like gawk; some like vim, others like elvis; some like trn, others like tin; how does Debian support diversity?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-debiandocs" rel="section" title="12.1 What other documentation exists on and for a Debian system?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-onlineresources" rel="section" title="12.2 Are there any on-line resources for discussing Debian?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-searchtools" rel="section" title="12.3 Is there a quick way to search for information on Debian GNU/Linux?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-buglogs" rel="section" title="12.4 Are there logs of known bugs?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-bugreport" rel="section" title="12.5 How do I report a bug in Debian?"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contrib" rel="section" title="13.1 How can I become a Debian software developer?"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-contribresources" rel="section" title="13.2 How can I contribute resources to the Debian project?"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-supportingorganizations" rel="section" title="13.3 How can I contribute financially to the Debian project?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-sellcds" rel="section" title="14.1 Can I make and sell Debian CDs?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-packagednonfree" rel="section" title="14.2 Can Debian be packaged with non-free software?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-childistro" rel="section" title="14.3 I am making a special Linux distribution for a "vertical market". Can I use Debian GNU/Linux for the guts of a Linux system and add my own applications on top of it?"> +<link href="ch-redistrib.en.html#s-commercialdebs" rel="section" title="14.4 Can I put my commercial program in a Debian "package" so that it installs effortlessly on any Debian system?"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-i18n" rel="section" title="15.1 Extended support for non-English users"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-dependencybasedboot" rel="section" title="15.2 Faster booting: Dependency based boot sequence"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-di" rel="section" title="15.3 Improvements in the Debian Installer"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morearches" rel="section" title="15.4 More architectures"> +<link href="ch-nexttime.en.html#s-morekernels" rel="section" title="15.5 More kernels"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors" rel="section" title="16.1 Authors"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-feedback" rel="section" title="16.2 Feedback"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-latest" rel="section" title="16.3 Availability"> +<link href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-docformat" rel="section" title="16.4 Document format"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.1" rel="subsection" title="3.1.1 You asked me to install stable, but in stable so and so hardware is not detected/working. What should I do?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.2" rel="subsection" title="3.1.2 Will there be different different versions of packages in different distributions?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.3" rel="subsection" title="3.1.3 The stable distributions really contains outdated packages. Just look at Kde, Gnome, Xorg or even the kernel. They are very old. Why is it so?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.4" rel="subsection" title="3.1.4 If I were to decide to change to another distribution, Can I do that?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.5" rel="subsection" title="3.1.5 Could you tell me whether to install testing or unstable?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.6" rel="subsection" title="3.1.6 You are talking about testing being broken. What do you mean by that?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.7" rel="subsection" title="3.1.7 Why is it that testing could be broken for months? Wont the fixes introduced in unstable flow directly down into testing?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.8" rel="subsection" title="3.1.8 From an administrator's point of view, Which distribution requires more attention?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.9" rel="subsection" title="3.1.9 What happens when a new release is made?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.10" rel="subsection" title="3.1.10 I have a working Desktop/cluster with Debian installed. How do I know which distribution I am running?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.11" rel="subsection" title="3.1.11 I am currently tracking stable. Can I change to testing or unstable? If so, How?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.12" rel="subsection" title="3.1.12 I am currently tracking testing (lenny). What will happen when a release is made? Will I still be tracking testing or will my machine be running the new stable distribution?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.1.13" rel="subsection" title="3.1.13 I am still confused. What did you say I should install?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.1" rel="subsection" title="3.2.1 I know that Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... is Debian-based. So after installing it on the hard disk, can I use 'apt' package tools on it?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.2" rel="subsection" title="3.2.2 I installed Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... on my hard disk. Now I have a problem. What should I do?"> +<link href="ch-choosing.en.html#s3.2.3" rel="subsection" title="3.2.3 I'm using Knoppix/Linex/Ubuntu/... and now I want to use Debian. How do I migrate?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-oldcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.1 Which other codenames have been used in the past?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-sourceforcodenames" rel="subsection" title="6.2.2 Where do these codenames come from?"> +<link href="ch-ftparchives.en.html#s-frozen" rel="subsection" title="6.5.1 What about "testing"? How is it `frozen'?"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg" rel="subsection" title="8.1.1 dpkg"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-apt-get" rel="subsection" title="8.1.2 APT"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-aptitude" rel="subsection" title="8.1.3 aptitude"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-synaptic" rel="subsection" title="8.1.4 synaptic"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-tasksel" rel="subsection" title="8.1.5 tasksel"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-extra" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6 Other package management tools"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dselect" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.1 dselect"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-deb" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.2 dpkg-deb"> +<link href="ch-pkgtools.en.html#s-dpkg-split" rel="subsection" title="8.1.6.3 dpkg-split"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-aptitude-upgrade" rel="subsection" title="9.1.1 aptitude"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-apt" rel="subsection" title="9.1.2 apt-get, dselect and apt-cdrom"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-update_aptitude" rel="subsection" title="9.1.3 aptitude"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-mirror" rel="subsection" title="9.1.4 mirror"> +<link href="ch-uptodate.en.html#s-dpkg-mountable" rel="subsection" title="9.1.5 dpkg-mountable"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.1" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1 Mailing lists"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s-mailinglistconduct" rel="subsection" title="12.2.1.1 What is the code of conduct for the mailing lists?"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.2" rel="subsection" title="12.2.2 Web forums"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.3" rel="subsection" title="12.2.3 Wiki"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.4" rel="subsection" title="12.2.4 Maintainers"> +<link href="ch-support.en.html#s12.2.5" rel="subsection" title="12.2.5 Usenet newsgroups"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-SPI" rel="subsection" title="13.3.1 Software in the Public Interest"> +<link href="ch-contributing.en.html#s-FSF" rel="subsection" title="13.3.2 Free Software Foundation"> + +</head> + +<body> + +<p><a name="ch-compat"></a></p> +<hr> + +<p> +[ <a href="ch-choosing.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> ] +[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ] +[ 4 ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">9</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">11</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<h1> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +<br>Chapter 4 - Compatibility issues +</h1> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-arches"></a>4.1 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 systems 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>amd64</em>: this covers systems based on AMD 64bit CPUs with AMD64 +extension and all Intel CPUs with EM64T extension, and a common 64bit +userspace. +</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> +Support for the <em>m68k</em> architecture was dropped in this release, because +it did not meet the criteria set by the Debian Release Managers. This +architecture covers Amigas and ATARIs having a Motorola 680x0 processor for +x>=2; with MMU. However, the port is still active and available for +installation even if not a part of this official stable release and might be +reactivated for future releases. +</p> + +<p> +For more information on the available ports see the <code><a +href="http://www.debian.org/ports/">ports pages at the website</a></code>. +</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>4.2 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. The Debian Etch release is Certified for LSB Release 3.1, see +the <code><a +href="https://www.linux-foundation.org/lsb-cert/productdir.php">Linux +Foundation Certification webpage</a></code>. 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>4.3 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>4.4 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-non-debian-programs"></a>4.5 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 12.1</a>). +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-termcap"></a>4.6 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>4.7 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 4.6</a> above. +</p> + +<hr> + +<h2><a name="s-motifnls"></a>4.8 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-choosing.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> ] +[ <a href="ch-choosing.en.html">3</a> ] +[ 4 ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">5</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-ftparchives.en.html">6</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkg_basics.en.html">7</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-pkgtools.en.html">8</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-uptodate.en.html">9</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-kernel.en.html">10</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-customizing.en.html">11</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-support.en.html">12</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-contributing.en.html">13</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-redistrib.en.html">14</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-nexttime.en.html">15</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html">16</a> ] +[ <a href="ch-software.en.html">next</a> ] +</p> + +<hr> + +<p> +The Debian GNU/Linux FAQ +</p> + +<address> +version 4.0.3, 6 August 2008<br> +<br> +Authors are listed at <a href="ch-faqinfo.en.html#s-authors">Debian FAQ Authors</a><br> +<br> +</address> +<hr> + +</body> + +</html> + |