1 General

2 Installation

3 Pkgsrc

1 General

1.1 When did this Linux distro begin?

Initial development of a entirely Linux-based operating system based on pkgsrc began in September 2002. This work included providing pkgsrc specifications for over 30 Linux-specific or needed software suites, such as glibc, linux-kernel, util-linux, vixie-cron, etc.

1.2 What is interesting about this? Why another distro? What is different from other Linux distributions?

It uses the easy-to-use rc.conf and rc.d system developed for NetBSD and also used in FreeBSD (aka rcNG). The build-from-source system has excellent features for consistently installing software and creating packages. It makes it easy to have a very light-weight, small install. Also, pkgsrc can be used on other operating systems, so administrators can have consistent third-party (contrib) software environments.

1.3 What needs to be done? What is needed?

A simple text-based installer needs to be written. An package tool needs to be finished that uses an available packages database for easy dependency checking for package downloads and installs. Also mirror sites, mailing lists, webpages, and documentation, et cetera, need to be setup. And it needs to be named.

1.4 Why Linux?

In some situations, Linux kernels and some software too specific to Linux operating systems is needed.

1.5 What is the name?

PkgLinux is what it has been using. No official name yet. But was leaning at using "pslinux" although a few years ago it was used at a few places to mean "PlayStation Linux". "ps" can stand for Pkgsrc. Does anyone know if the term "ps linux" is still in use? Other suggestions include "Reed Linux", "PkgSrc Linux", "PkgLinux". Please share your advice.

1.6 What's the status?

It has been in continuous use since last 2003. All components built using pkgsrc since early 2004. Here is one PkgLinux system's current package list (as of April 20, 2005). Primarily, this workstation is used with KDE, firefox, openoffice.org and ggv.

1.7 How can I help?

Offer a fast build machine. Provide hosting for downloading packages. Manage mailing lists. Pay for development work, training, packaging, tech support.

2 Installation

2.1 How to install?

Here is one way to install it.

2.2 Where can I find documentation?

Have a look here.

2.3 Where can I download the packages?

See the list of mirror sites here

3 Pkgsrc

3.1 Why based on pkgsrc?

• Pkgsrc provides a consistent build environment.
• Pkgsrc maintainers are knowledgable, helpful and friendly.
• Pkgsrc provides a wide-variety of software.
• Pkgsrc offers an environment that can be reproduced on various operating systems.
• Pkgsrc provides enhanced rc.d scripts for starting, stopping, reloading, and verifying running services.
• Pkgsrc provides customizable configuration locations (software can be built to install and use configurations where you want them).
• Pkgsrc provides patches (as needed) for software for 64-bit support.
• Pkgsrc's pkgviews feature allows installing same software with different versions at same time (for improved upgrades).
• Pkgsrc offers a security vulnerability database for reporting known security issues with installed packages.
• Pkgsrc provides a stable (includes security) collection and a bleeding-edge collection. (New stable release each quarter with fixes as necessary.)
• Pkgsrc cleans up unchanged configurations on package deinstalls.
• Pkgsrc does not overwrite configurations on package installations (and default configurations also available in examples directory).
• Pkgsrc is a mature project with constant development since 1997.

3.2 What is pkgsrc?

pkgsrc is a portable package building system for Linux, NetBSD, Darwin, Mac OS X, Irix, Solaris, AIX, HPUX, BSD/OS, DragonFly, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, OSF1, UnixWare, Interix and other operating systems for managing over 5000 software suites. It provides: 1) a categorized collection of specifications that help automate fetching source, verifying checksums, patching, configuring, building, installing and packaging software suites; 2) package installation and maintenance tools (like pkg_add, pkg_info, pkg_delete and others). The website is at http://www.pkgsrc.org/.

3.3 How many people work on pkgsrc?

Including the Sourceforge pkgsrc-wip project, approximately 250 different developers maintain packages. The pkgsrc files indicate that around 120 different developers have made last commits (changes). Approximately 33 developers very actively work on pkgsrc.

3.4 What are the differences between this Linux distro and pkgsrc?

• A few packages have been modified to correctly build and/or install. (Need to commit back to official pkgsrc.)
• Never uses libiconv package. (Uses glibc.)
• Uses glibc instead of gettext-lib.
• Uses new gettext-runtime and gettext-tools packages (if tools are needed)
• Pkgsrc uses /usr/pkg as the installation directory by default; this Linux distro uses /usr.
• Pkgsrc uses /usr/pkg/info as the default info documentation directory; this Linux distro uses /usr/share/info. (Man pages also in process to change from man to share/man.)
• The pkg_add tool provides an upgrade in place option that does not do a pkg_delete first.
• The default configuration directory is /etc.
• Installing rc.d scripts to /etc/rc.d is done by default.
• GNU_PROGRAM_PREFIX is set to nothing (for example "ls" instead of "gls").
• PAM usage is enabled.
• Using bzipped packages instead of gzipped packages.
• mtree and mtree specifications not used to pre-create directories.
• Default paper size is "letter".
• X.org X11R6 is the X11-type used.
• Most software stripped by default.