[arch-dev-public] Multilib on Archlinux x86_64

[Roman Kyrylych]

2008/7/9 Andreas Radke <a.radke at arcor.de>:
> Am Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:14:04 +0200
> schrieb Thomas Bächler <thomas at archlinux.org>:
>
>> 2) Because it doesn't belong in community, it doesn't belong in extra
>> or even in core. It's a different thing and it should be in its own
>> place.
>
> I see no reason why it can't become part of the community(TUs?)
> maintained repos.

This would make community not pure x86_64 then.

>
> Or if you need it that much, why don't you setup a repo and publish it
> in the Arch64 wiki section. Just like Dan did it with the EEE repo.

This is actually a valid point (and I like this way more), though see below.

>
> Call me Debianish but when it comes to install official support for
> closed crap don't count on me.

I don't use wine or flash on x86_64, but there is one very good FOSS
that is missing on x86_64 - VirtualBox OSE.
(I'm not maintaining it in community anymore, but I think current maintainer
is interested in making it available on x86_64 as well)

A quote from the build instructions:

On 64-bit systems you need the following packages as well:
    * ia32-libs (various libraries needed for compiling the 32-bit
guest additions)
    * libc6-dev-i386 (libc6 i386 development headers)
    * lib32gcc1 (gcc support for i386)
    * gcc-multilib (gcc support for i386)
    * lib32stdc++6 (libstdc++ for i386)
    * g++-multilib (g++ support for i386)

So building VirtualBox OSE is not possible with our gcc on x86_64,
because it doesn't have 32-bit support (and I'm absolutely fine with this!),
but with multilib repo it should be possible (requires adding gcc with
32-bit support),
but then - if VirtualBox OSE will be in community then multilib repo
should be either part of community or have the same status as community
(you may call it community-multilib if you wish).
If multilib repo will be like eee repo (e.g. "fully unofficial") then
it seems x86_64 VirtualBox OSE cannot be part of community
(because of dependency on unofficial repo)
(and then I'm wondering about if x86_64 wine is in the same situation).

-- 
Roman Kyrylych (Роман Кирилич)