HEADSUP: the default linux base and infrastructure ports has been changed to Fedora 10

Hello dear CURRENT users,


the day of changing a default linux base and infrastructure ports
has happened. For a long time we used to have default linux_base-fc4
and Fedora Core 4 infrastructure ports. It's too old now and has
some security issues which won't be addressed. Now we have all
needed changes at the base system and we have switched defaults
to Fedora 10 ports.

The default is switched for OSVERSION >= 800076 (when the last known
issue was fixed at the base system). From now the default linux
base port is linux_base-f10. Default linux infrastrucure ports
are linux-f10-*.

For those who already have OVERRIDE_LINUX_BASE_PORT=f10 and
OVERRIDE_LINUX_NONBASE_PORTS=f10 at /etc/make.conf those lines
may be deletted but nothing should change.

For others to switch to new defaults following procedure
is recommended (I'm not aware of any automated tool which can
do a transfer):
-----
0. Backup your data!
1. Stop any linux application.
2. Figure out your installed linux applications.  [1]
3. Remove linux applications, linux infrastructure ports  [2]
   and linux base port.
4. Remove any OVERRIDE_LINUX_* lines from /etc/make.conf
   and ensure that you have compat.linux.osrelease=2.6.16.
5. Install needed linux applications.  [3]
-----

Notes about the procedure.

[1] The best way is to use the command "pkg_info -Rx linux_base":
-----
% pkg_info -Rx linux_base                                 12:13 pts/3
Information for linux_base-f10-10:

Required by:
linux-f10-expat-2.0.1
linux-f10-fontconfig-2.6.0
linux-f10-xorg-libs-7.4
linux-dri-7.4
linux-f10-libsigc++20-2.2.2
linux-f10-alsa-lib-1.0.19
skype-2.0.0.72,1
google-earth-5.0.11733.9347
-----

There are two linux applications: skype and google-earth.

[2] The linux base port should be removed by a "pkg_delete -f"
command. To be sure that there are no remnants of old installations
I used to unmount any linux file systems and ensure that the
/compat/linux directory is empty.

[3] There is no need to install any linux infrastructure port.
Instead a linux application should be installed and the ports
system should do the right thing. And, please, don't use
packages until they are got build with new defaults.


There is no need to switch to new defaults until you
touch any linux port.

So far there is only one known issue, print/acroread9 is not
stable with Fedora 10 ports. Print/acroread8 works fine though.

Other FreeBSD versions (6.x, 7.x) are not planned to be switched
to new defaults.

If someone has any questions, your best choice to get an answer
is to write to emulation_at_ mail list. Those guys are usually very
responsive and helpful. ;-)

Thanks for all who worked hard with the base system and ports, who
tested and gave feedbacks!

Hey, use it with care, beware of dragons. ;-)


WBR
-- 
bsam