Chapter 11 Linux® Binary Compatibility

Table of Contents
11.1 Synopsis
11.2 Installation
11.3 Installing Mathematica®
11.4 Installing Maple
11.5 Installing MATLAB®
11.6 Installing Oracle®
11.7 Advanced Topics
Restructured and parts updated by Jim Mock. Originally contributed by Brian N. Handy and Rich Murphey.

11.1 Synopsis

FreeBSD provides binary compatibility with Linux®, allowing users to install and run Linux binaries on a FreeBSD system. Many companies and developers develop only for Linux, and binary compatibility allows FreeBSD users to run about 90% of all Linux applications without modification. This includes productivity applications, games, and more. It has even been reported that, in some situations, Linux binaries perform better on FreeBSD than they do on Linux.

However, some Linux-specific operating system features are not supported under FreeBSD. For example, Linux binaries will not work on FreeBSD if they overly use i386™ specific calls, such as enabling virtual 8086 mode.

After reading this chapter, you will know:

Before reading this chapter, you should: