Recommanded installation precedure? (was: Re: error in ldd?)

[Matthias Pfisterer <pfistere@rupert.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de>]

Marcus Brinkmann wrote:
> 
> On Fri, Dec 25, 1998 at 03:52:02PM +0100, Matthias Pfisterer wrote:
> > hello,
> >
> > I've tried the following on a hurd system as it comes from the 0.2
> > binary distribution:
> > > ldd --version
> > ldd (GNU Hurd) 0.2
> > > ldd /bin/ldd
> > BUG IN DYNAMIC LINKER ld.so: rtld.c: 317: dl_main: Assertion
> > '_dl_rtld_map.l_libname' failed!
> >
> > After that message the system seems to lock up. It responds to pressing
> > return with a line feed, but neither ctrl-C nor ctrl-Z bring me back to
> > a prompt.
> >
> > The same happens using ldd on other executables.
> 
> Some translators were broken in gnu-0.2. They are long fixed now. Do you
> really use gnu-0.2? You should really try new glibc 2.0.106 and Debian
> packages of hurd and gnumach, as those are the very edge of development.
> A lot of bugs are fixed there.
> 
> AFAIK, the new packages even are compatible with the old binaries.
> 
> You can find glibc packages at alpha.gnu.org. Hurd and gnumach packages are
> in the Debian archive.
> 
> ftp://ftp.debian.org/debian/dists/sid/main/binary-hurd-i386/base/gnumach_19981118-1.deb
> 
> and so on.
> 
> Bye,
> Marcus


Thank you.

It seems to me that there is a general problem. As far as I see, there
are two entry points for people interested in Hurd:

1. the FSF Hurd page. It has a link to the hurd 0.2 binary distribution
and states that there will a Debian GNU/Hurd distribution upcoming which
is not already completed. So this leads people to installing the
outdated 0.2 release.

2. the Debian GNU/Hurd FAQ. This points to the 0.2 distribution and to
the GNU/Hurd Hacker's Kit (GHHK) with also saying there will be a
gnu-0.3 from Debian. The GHHK look like some randomly assembled pieces
wich also are already about half a year old. So this seems also result
in an old system.

On the other hand, there are many packages for hurd on the debian ftp
site and this looks as to be the actual state of development. But I
found no clear documentation on how to install a Hurd system from these
packages.

So the question is: What is the recommanded installation procedure at
the moment? I think we should document it on prominent places so people
interested in Hurd will be pointed to the actual state.

I will do this, that is updating the web pages and FAQs, hoping you to
give me the necessary information.

Matthias