tar.gz is the best package format for complex programs
There are two kind of Unix programs. The first are programs with little dependencies that will compile out of the box with GCC and some basic library like zlib and other libs that are installed by default in almost every Unix distribution. For this kind of applications it's not so important to be distributed in binary form, the real problem is for complex programs with tons of dependencies, like firefox, amule, openoffice and a lot of less famous unix applications. To compile this applications is hard for the newbie and tedious for the expert Unix user so it's mandatory to have a binary distribution if the project goal is to reach a big user base.
In order to distribute complex programs in binary form there are two widely adopted alternatives, that are to ship a tar.gz with a statically linked binary and other library dependencies shipped with the program and linked at run time with some linker trick when you execute the program (this is what firefox does), or to ship a package for every kind of well known distribution out there.
- Login or register to post comments
- Printer-friendly version
- 1492 reads
- PDF version
More in Tux Machines
- Highlights
- Front Page
- Latest Headlines
- Archive
- Recent comments
- All-Time Popular Stories
- Hot Topics
- New Members
digiKam 7.7.0 is releasedAfter three months of active maintenance and another bug triage, the digiKam team is proud to present version 7.7.0 of its open source digital photo manager. See below the list of most important features coming with this release. |
Dilution and Misuse of the "Linux" Brand
|
Samsung, Red Hat to Work on Linux Drivers for Future TechThe metaverse is expected to uproot system design as we know it, and Samsung is one of many hardware vendors re-imagining data center infrastructure in preparation for a parallel 3D world. Samsung is working on new memory technologies that provide faster bandwidth inside hardware for data to travel between CPUs, storage and other computing resources. The company also announced it was partnering with Red Hat to ensure these technologies have Linux compatibility. |
today's howtos
|
Recent comments
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago
1 year 11 weeks ago