Does Rosetta exist yet for the x86 based MAC?

If so, did the app have to be compiled specially for the MAC, or does the object as compiled for the x86 Linux platform run on an x86 under OS X?

Has it been tried?

If it fails, does the science work and the gaphics fail, or do both fail?

Just a thought, given that OS X and Linux are both flavours of Uno-which.

River~~

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A1) https://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/apps.php ;-)
... Yes, for quite some time.

A2) specific compile as it has to run in a different environment (I assume, since that's what boinc say when devoloping it or use universal binaries).

A3) people are running it

A4) if what fails ? the program? dunno I assume both ;-), just like in windows :-D

flavours of ....

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Team mauisun.org

A1) https://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/apps.php ;-)
... Yes, for quite some time.

A2) specific compile as it has to run in a different environment (I assume, since that's what boinc say when devoloping it or use universal binaries).

A3) people are running it

A4) if what fails ? the program? dunno I assume both ;-), just like in windows :-D

flavours of ....

thanks FC
R~~

thanks again to FC for this answer

A2) specific compile as it has to run in a different environment (I assume, since that's what boinc say when devoloping it or use universal binaries).

but it leaves me puzzled still. I wonder if you or any other reader can help me more?

If I understand correctly, Mac OS X is built on freeBSD which derives from 4.3BSD. Wikipedia's BSD page says that

It is an interesting fact that BSD operating systems can run much native software of several other operating systems on the same architecture, using a binary compatibility layer. Much simpler and faster than emulation, this allows, for instance, applications intended for Linux to be run at effectively full speed.

So why can't Mac OS users run BOINC inside the binary compatibility layer, and thus use the compiled-for-Linux code? Am I missing an obvious snag, or are the Mac people missing an alternative route to running all the Linux-enabled projects without needing any separate support?

How wide is the "much" in the phrase "can run much native software"? Plenty of room to hide a few snags there perhaps?

R~~

I suspect [but I haven't done any research on it] that the BSD "linux compatibility layer" isn't available on the Mac's, possibly for licensing reasons - or simply because they (Apple) don't want to support a bunch of Linux functionality that isn't 100% sure to work.

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Mats

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I suspect [but I haven't done any research on it] that the BSD "linux compatibility layer" isn't available on the Mac's, possibly for licensing reasons - or simply because they (Apple) don't want to support a bunch of Linux functionality that isn't 100% sure to work.

Sounds plausible, especially as any programs running in the compatibility layer would probably need to be running in command line mode. BSD is, of course, a system designed to be controlled from the command line.

But on the other hand, it seems just as likely to me that the facility is in there somewhere, but not advertised by Apple because they traditionally don't tell you about anything that can only be done from the command line.

R~~

it seems just as likely to me that the facility is in there somewhere, but not advertised by Apple because they traditionally don't tell you about anything that can only be done from the command line.

River, let me repeat your Wiki-Quote:

"It is an interesting fact that BSD operating systems can run much native software of several other operating systems on the same architecture"

Till a few month ago all Macs were PowerPC based, while the normal Linux box is tweaked and optimised for x86, so this layer would have been as useful in the past as a blind gut. Moreover binary compatibility with Linux is really unimportant: the normal code distribution for the different Unices is source code. Just grab it and compile it yourself. See:

http://fink.sourceforge.net/
http://www.macports.org/

And, last not least: While Mac OS X can run X11 Applications, Mac users hate them (think OpenOffice?) because the X11-GUI feels different from the rest of the system. That's why for many large open source projects there is an extra "native" Mac port.

Till a few month ago all Macs were PowerPC based, while the normal Linux box is tweaked and optimised for x86,

yes, but if you look back to the first post in this thread, or indeed at the thread title, we are anly talking about x86 Macs in this thread - hence the relevance of my wiki quote.

And, last not least: While Mac OS X can run X11 Applications, Mac users hate them (think OpenOffice?) because the X11-GUI feels different from the rest of the system. That's why for many large open source projects there is an extra "native" Mac port.

very good point.
River~~