Server - Linux Compat

[Da Rock]

On Tue, 2008-09-23 at 17:38 -0400, Grant Peel wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> When I was young, many many moons ago, and I installed FreeBSD 4.4 for the 
> first time, I enabled linux compatability ...
> 
> Each build since, I have enabled it ...
> 
> So not I am at the point of asking myself why?
> 
> All I run is webservers and namesrvers, you know, Bind, Apache, Mysql, 
> vmpop3d, PHP, Exim and shh...not to mention a few utils, ipa, ipfw etc.
> 
> Does anyone have any compelling reason I should continue to enable linux 
> compatability?
> 
> Are there any pitfalls (Security, Performance) in doing so?

I've done the same myself for a long time, but now I just do minimal
installs and go from there after having numerous issues with
incompatible packages rather than ports.

I can't see any security issues in not having it, in fact isn't there a
principle for security in the less software the less holes to get
through? Linux compat is only installed if you install a port that
requires it to operate, so it would seem that a lot of servers wouldn't
necessarily use it. Its mostly a desktop thing for some of the more
difficult to port (or legal issue) software that users specifically
want.

Cheers