Re: Perl Package

[Marcus Brinkmann <Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de>]

On Fri, Jul 23, 1999 at 03:34:24PM -0400, Kirstin S. Reese wrote:
> 
> I wanted to install the hurd, but I couldn't find the perl package. The
> only one on the ftp servers is a dummy upgrade package.
> 
> I know I am blind to something here, but what?

OH NO! We are currently moving to versioned perl, and it seems that they
replaced the old perl packages with dummy packages, to make room for the
versioned perl packages. Damn. Silly guys. Now I need to upload perl 5.005
although we are not really ready for it... (of course, this move is
important and needed, and the perl people are not silly but do the Right
Thing, still, I wish I could "freeze" "my" binary-hurd-i386 ftp directory :)

Thanks for pointing out, there is indeed a problem. Currently, nobody will
be able to install the Hurd using the Debian packages. Please use the tar
file installation method. I will upload perl 5.005 packages now, but the
installation will not be clean until I tested it (package names changed,
dependencies changed).
 
> Also, is there any information about the development of packages for
> running linux binaries on the hurd?

This will happen automatically when libc6 is ready for it. We are lacking
POSIX threading and some other stuff. Note that you don't need an
"emulation" package or something, it will just happen to be possible with
Hurds glibc.  Of course, additional software for /proc filesystem emulation
and kernel syscall wrapping would be useful.

> And, what are the some of the key tasks left before the hurd's release? I
> would love to help out.

You find information on
http://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/hurd-task.html
http://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/hurd-port.html

and in the mailing list archive.

Some of the key tasks are:

* Boot disks (you probably don't want to mess with them unless you know what
you do)
* Getting X servers to work (same remark here)
* Packages, packages, packages (see above)
* Some glibc issues (POSIX file locking, threading, ...)
* Support for Linux character devices in GNU Mach
* Writing documentation

I suggest you install the Hurd and poke around a bit until you find
something you feel comfortable with and ask on bug-hurd or here if you know
what you want to work on.

Thanks,
Marcus

-- 
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