From: jem@sunSITE.unc.edu (Jonathan Magid) Subject: Re: Binary compatibility with other *nix Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 20:25:52 GMT
In article <1993Mar7.142631.6838@wf-rch.cirr.com> minyard@wf-rch.cirr.com (Corey Minyard) writes:
>It should be theoretically possible for Linux to emulate the binary
>interface of something like SVR4, etc. Has anyone considered doing
>this? I think xenix is already available. This would give us the
>"shrink wrapped" applications that some what while still preserving
>the "free spirit" of Linux. Any thoughts?
As well as Jim's Xenix emulator, there is serious though going on
SysVR4 binary compatibility. Eric (who else?) said on GCC that he
soon expects adding the ability to load the ELF binary format to Linux,
very soon. After completing this, new syscall gates would have to be
added. So, the answer is "eventually", but not tomorrow. Somebody's estimate
(I forget whose) was 6 months-1 year.
jem.