eliminating GPL apps on FreeBSD

[Christian Weisgerber]

Jeremy C. Reed <reed at reedmedia.net> wrote:

> Some things already done (but not necessarily used yet):
> 
> cpio,

The tar, cpio, and pax utilities are basically the same program
with a different command line interface.  A new cpio could be based
on libarchive.  OpenBSD uses BSD pax in different personalities for
all three programs, like 4.4BSD did.

In practice, FreeBSD users appear to universally prefer tar, and
cpio is a little regarded legacy command.

> diff?,

OpenBSD has a BSD-licensed implementation but it lacks features
compared to GNU diff.  Notably, there is no sdiff command.

> patch?,

OpenBSD has a non-GNU patch based on an older release.  Care needs
to be taken, because different versions of patch have (not so)
subtle differences.

> grep,

OpenBSD has a BSD-licensed grep that is good enough, but doesn't
perform as well as GNU grep.  Also lacks all wide char support and
the like.

> gzip,

This could be taken straight from OpenBSD.

> sort,

OpenBSD has a BSD sort, not sure where that is from.   Again, it's
lacking in the I18N area.

> tar,

FreeBSD has its own implementation now (bsdtar), based on libarchive.

> dialog,

Not a standard tool.  The last time I checked, FreeBSD's version
was rather different from the one shipped with some Linux distributions.

> gettext,

I'm under the impression that the CITRUS implementation is not a
complete replacement for GNU gettext.

> bc/dc.

These could be taken straight from OpenBSD.  If there are any
deficiencies, Otto Moerbeek sure would like to hear.

-- 
Christian "naddy" Weisgerber                          naddy at mips.inka.de