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View Full Version : Has anyone else here finally realized what a wonder FINK is?



spaceballl
Dec 12, 2004, 06:49 AM
This thing has really changed the way I compute in OS X. In my office, I run Fedora Core 3 linux on an older computer. I love FC3 linux by the way! (that's just a side note). But I run GNOME on it, and i've really come to love all of the Gnome apps like Abiword, Gnumeric, the Gimp, etc etc...

I've also become very used to using the terminal regularly to update my packages. Now I can do the same thing on my Mac with just a little app called X11 running in the background... a full windowing system. I think it's an absolutely wonderful thing that has come along. Darwinports is cool too, but I prefer Fink. So has anyone else used fink!?

For those who aren't aware... Fink is a piece of software that makes a plethora of linux "packages" available. Packages can be libraries, programs, etc etc. But in any case, they re-comiple the source for the newest versions of linux apps for PowerPC and they run natively in OSX using a special window manager called X11.

Are there any must have Fink programs I'm missing? I mean it makes no sense to get an X11 web browser when mac users have so many great web browsing alternatives (and some crappy ones... cough! omniweb! cough!). Gimp2 obviously comes to mind as a gem... what else is great?

-Kevin


gekko513
Dec 12, 2004, 07:06 AM
Inkscape is very nice. Decent vector graphics application. Some problems with pop-up menus in dialogs, though (they don't show up)
DavidLeblond
Dec 12, 2004, 09:51 AM
Fink aggrivates the hell out of me. Whenever I try to install something new it always tells me that I need Xfree86 and then complains because I have Apple X11 installed. There seems to be no way of getting it to realize I have X11.
daveL
Dec 12, 2004, 10:14 AM
Darwin ports, I think, is a bit better than Fink. I imagine they will merge their efforts, at some point. Darwin ports seems to me to be closer to the source (the Darwin project). Fink has been around for some time.
Westside guy
Dec 12, 2004, 01:47 PM
Fink aggrivates the hell out of me. Whenever I try to install something new it always tells me that I need Xfree86 and then complains because I have Apple X11 installed. There seems to be no way of getting it to realize I have X11.

Well that's odd. Fink's always played nicely with Apple's X11 for me, with basically no effort. Did you start using fink back when Apple's X11 was just getting started? If so, you might want to just blow away /sw and start over. I've had to do that once or twice - I guess it doesn't bother me too much because coming from Linux I'm used to it. :D

Hey spaceballl: I agree with you almost completely. I've been much happier since I started running fink off its "unstable" tree, mainly because the Gnome/GTK apps are more current. I have found, though, that I prefer the native OS X ports of those few apps that have been ported to the OS. I'd dearly love to see gaim ported to OS X (and yes I've tried adium, and I hate it; but that's another thread!).
Mac Lad
Jan 2, 2005, 04:58 PM
I just successfully installed Fink and FinkCommander... they work great!! I love this utility. I also just installed lynx... what a wonderful browser because I just have a dial-up connection at home.

Ok... I now have to start learning how to use the terminal :d
risc
Jan 2, 2005, 05:34 PM
Darwin ports, I think, is a bit better than Fink. I imagine they will merge their efforts, at some point. Darwin ports seems to me to be closer to the source (the Darwin project). Fink has been around for some time.

I agree I like OpenDarwins DarwinPorts a lot more than Fink, and it seems with every new release DarwinPorts is getting even better.