On 11/25/05, Mark Knecht <markknecht@email-addr-hidden> wrote:
> On 11/25/05, Noah Roberts <roberts.noah@email-addr-hidden> wrote:
> > On 11/25/05, Mark Knecht <markknecht@email-addr-hidden> wrote:
> >
> > > There aren't too many limitations on the use of non-multimedia
> > > application code in portage. The trick seems to be deciding when to
> > > use ~x86 and ~amd64. That's a bit of a frustration but not a major
> > > hinderance.
> >
> > I can answer that. You never use ~x86 on an amd64 running in 64 bit
> > mode. It can cause serious issues if you do. You may not have run
> > into such issues but they are there and I have (first time I installed
> > I decided to take that shortcut as well). The correct way to install
> > code is to use ~amd64 if you need to. If it is not there then you add
> > it if you really want the program but keep in mind that it means that
> > the program very well might not work on amd64 or may be incredibly
> > unstable.
>
> OK, if this is the case (cannot use ~x86 and ~amd64 on the same
> machine) then my impression, from the set of apps I'm running right
> now, is there there is a lot of software I cannot depend on.
If you say so. Since this is still a fairly soa processor that isn't
very surprising is it?
There are
> a large number of apps that don't work unless compiled with ~x86.
You are mistaking what ~x86 does. You are not "compiling with ~x86"
when you use that accept flag, you are saying, "I have an x86
processor and I want the latest, greatest, untested and likely
unstable programs installed." Not only that, but you are telling
emerge to also install updates that may be unstable on the x86 for all
dependencies of the program you are installing with that flag. So, if
it is untested and unstable on the x86 and you don't have an x86 then
what do you think you are saying?
If I
> cannot use that then I cannot run maybe 30-40% of what I want to run.
Not true. There is very little that you "cannot" run on the amd64.
There are some very few programs that have the -amd64 keyword because
they are known to not work and cause problems. What you do run into a
lot is areas that have not been touched by the amd64 team (though this
is getting to be less and less) and so just simply have no amd64
keyword at all. At that point it is on you to add the keyword and
test the program. You can send a bug report if it works and maybe
they will add it to the main tree.
They have made this a bit easier with the package.keywords file:
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-amd64-faq.xml#keyword
This allows you to apply the ~x86 flag to a single package without the
dangers I describe. This is something I have just discovered.
>
> Of course, I've not hit the problems you're describing. I've been
> lucky I suppose.
Yeah, it worked for me too...right up until it didn't. Then I read
the website that said, "Don't do that," and I kicked myself and
reinstalled.
Received on Sun Nov 27 00:15:06 2005
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