Re: OS update
Re: OS update
- Subject: Re: OS update
- From: Jeremy Huddleston <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:25:57 -0800
On Dec 6, 2011, at 6:17 AM, Pierre Baguis wrote:
>
>
> Hello,
>
> I am planning to install in the next weeks Snow Leopard on a Macbook running Leopard. The Macbook has a working X11 installation and a big number of packages built from source based on the Fink Project.
>
> I have read the migration instructions in the Fink web page but I am wondering if this is an opportunity to migrate to MacPorts also. I have never tried Macports in the past, so I would like to have some opinions on it, especially in comparison to Fink.
>
> (1) Is there such a thing like better or worse between MacPorts and Fink?
One big thing to note is that MacPorts uses its own version of the X11 and other system libraries whereas Fink tries to use the ones on the system. This means that MacPorts versions of packages tend to be more similar across major OS versions. I maintain the X11 ports in MacPorts, so they tend to be kept pretty much up to date, and can usually be used instead of the XQuartz releases. This is actually what I recommended users of Tiger and Leopard use to install the latest X11 since there won't be future XQuartz releases for those OS versions.
Since you are installing SL rather than Lion, I assume you are on a ppc or 32bit intel machine and thus will be on SL for the long haul. It might be wise to plan for the eventuality that new versions of X11 won't be available for you from XQuartz at some point in the future and use this opportunity to get on MacPorts.
> (2) Will the update break the existing X11 installation (latest version for Leopard) and if yes, what should I do to restore it?
It will replace it. Leopard's XQuartz installed to /usr/X11 and that caused many headaches. I learned my lesson about fighting Software Update and changed XQuartz such that it was possible to have two versions side by side. Support for that landed in OS X 10.6.3 and one of the early versions of XQuartz for SL.
After installing SL, I X11.app will be version 2.3.6 or 2.3.7 (I forget what tiny version it's at). You can then install XQuartz-2.7.0 which will provide XQuartz.app of version 2.7.0, and neither will conflict with the other. There's no more installing the latest XQuartz after a SU!
> (2) If I decide to go Macports, how do I "eradicate" the Fink installation? Is it as simple as trashing the /sw directory or are there traces elsewhere also?
I do not know, sorry. You should check with Fink, but my guess is that you should do a recursive uninstall of all packages using fink's package system, then delete /sw. Fink probably places some files in /Applications and /Library which won't be removed if you just nuke /sw.
_______________________________________________
Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored.
X11-users mailing list (email@hidden)
This email sent to email@hidden
| References: | |
| | >OS update (From: Pierre Baguis <email@hidden>) |