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LinuxDig.com : Installing Linux Applications in Apple OS X the Easy Way with Fink
Author: HumanX | Friday December 10, 2004
If you are new to OS X or a long time user of the Apple line of operating systems and you would like to explore the full potential of OS X, then think Linux and package management with Fink.
"Your not in graphics land anymore", thought the Apple. It is time to share the long time niche of a powerful graphic/multimedia operating system with the advantage of incorporating Linux. No longer does Apple offer you one O/S, in a way they offer you two, sometimes three if you count OS 9.
I thought when I first started using OS X that other Apple users I knew could help me get started in Linux for OS X, I was wrong. The truth of the matter is, it seems a small percentage of Apple users are taking advantage of only 1/2 of the complete operating system.
Is this because Apple OS X does not throw Linux in your face or is it that Mac users are already comfortable with commercial products they have been using. Maybe it is difficulty? If any of these are true then it is time to spread your wings and look at a nifty program called Fink.
Fink is one thing, a package manager. Many of us in the *nix world are quite familiar with package management and what they offer and why they exist. In *nix (Unix or Linux) most applications rely on other applications or libraries to either execute or compile, it is a sort of symbiotic relationship throughout the entire system. But this same relationship can also cause the user difficulties as trying to find these items (called dependencies) can not only be difficult but sometimes impossible. Or if an application depends on MANY dependencies, tracking them down can be time consuming.
Package Managers gather together dependencies for you, relieving you of the burden. Example, if I wanted to compile a graphics application in Linux I may need the separate Libraries for GIF, JPG, PNG and I do not know if I have them currently installed on the system. A package manager lends a hand by first checking the system for the haves and have nots, and finally gathers and compiles the missing dependencies or alerts me to potential conflicts. The end result should be a working version of the graphics application.
Some of you are wandering, why not just give users pre-compiled binaries of all software. Why does Linux choose the route where the user has to interface so closely to the lower levels of the operating system. There are many reasons for this, some are obvious and some are not.
1.Some dependencies may not allow through licensing the inclusion of said dependency in a binary application.
2.In some case like cryptography, legal issues may exist which prevents developers from including certain software, leaving you with the option of installation.
3.Offering source code adds the ability to compile for different operating systems / environments.
4.Back in the old days, Internet connectivity was slow. So downloading a program which had dependencies already installed on that system meant faster download times.
* The notes below are simplified explanations of the compilation process and are meant to give new users a better understanding of the processes.
Note 1: You can create what is called a static build of your application. Static builds compile all aspects of the application together, so dependencies are not needed (In most cases ). This is a bit simplistic explanation. (Static builds tend to be faster)
Note 2: If builds are not static then they are dynamic which means the application loads the dependencies that are on your system already.
Thankfully, a team has been gathered together and an application named Fink has been developed. Fink is one such package manager and created exclusively for Apple's version of Linux.
One of the more interesting aspects of Fink is that it gives the end user the option to install either source code ready for compile or binaries ready to be executed. And this is not an easy task for the volunteers who help develop fink because each application within Fink has to be customized for use within OS X. The benefit to you, applications ready to use.
Many popular applications are already available, GIMP, OpenOffice, Libraries (many common libraries), Games and more. I think most people would be surprised at the number and diversity of applications available to OS X from Fink.
To install Fink visit Apples website and download and install X11 for OS X and then download and install the Fink package from http://fink.sourceforge.net The documentation in Fink is pretty straight forward and you will be running Linux applications in no time. Make sure you update the Fink catalog of Linux applications after installation, this is important.
And do not forget, Fink is both a command line and GUI application. The command line version of Fink offers a whole suite of customizable options for experts. The GUI version allows you to quickly install source or pre-compiled binaries. So from the Beginner to the Expert, Fink has got your back.
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