Native POSIX threads + Java under FreeBSD 5.3 release i386

[Olaf Greve]

Dear Dan,

Thanks for your answer!

A follow-up:

> Why would they require an OS-specific threads library, instead of
> simply requiring Posix threads?  I can tell you right now that Solaris
> doesn't support NPTL, just the same way Linux doesn't support Solaris's
> thread library :)

Interesting. The people who wrote the software told me that they used to 
have a version that worked well with the Linux 2.4 kernel threads 
version. Then, they said they had improved their software, and that it's 
based around the threading system as it is present in the Linux 2.6 
kernel. They did indeed mention that we require Posix threads, so I 
guess they mean to say that we require Posix threads (rather than 
relying on a Linux 2.6 kernel perse).

> If you have limited time, I'd say just use either Solaris 10 or Linux. 
> If you have problems on FreeBSD, they won't help you.

Yes, I just called the client, and he strongly recommended simply 
looking for a Debian-9 or SuSe-9 system. I think I'll simply try that...

>>I'm looking somewhat into the support for NPTL under FreeBSD 5.3
>>release i386, and I have come across the following URL:
>>http://www.unobvious.com/bsd/freebsd-threads.html From this, it
>>sounds like the LinuxThreads (i.e.
>>/usr/ports/devel/linuxthreads) should do the trick.
> 
> 
> That page is 2 years old, and even says right in the middle, before
> comparing libc_r and linuxthreads:
> 
>    WARNING: The rest of this document does not describe thread support
>    in FreeBSD 5.x . You have been warned.

:)
I think I didn't express myself the way I meant to (sorry for that). 
Basically what I meant to write was that from the document I gathered 
that the /usr/ports/devel/linuxthreads port is what should be used. But 
indeed upon re-reading my own text, it suggests that I had gathered from 
the document that that would work under versions 5.x as well (which was 
  not what I meant to imply). Anyway, your following answer basically 
answers what I wanted to know:

>>Can anyone tell me something about the following:
>>1) Does the linuxthreads library provide 100% NPTL support, as under Linux?
> 
> Linuxthreads is the Linux 2.4 and below threads package.  NPTL is the
> name for the threads implementation in Linux 2.6 kernels.  As far as I
> know, linuxthreads and NPTL are relatively ABI-compatible.

 From this, I gather the linuxthreads port will not give me the 
threading system as used in the Linux 2.6 kernel then...

O.k., I think I know enough for now: I'll first try having a go at Red 
Hat or SuSe then....

Thanks again, and cheers!
Olafo