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+--- Thread: Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? (/showthread.php?tid=10085)
Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? - chetchinglo - 06-05-2020
I need a sanity check here. I'm a novice on my recently received Pinebook Pro, but I was hoping that if a software package is compatible with a raspberry pi ARM architecture, that it would also be compatible on the Pinebook. Am I wrong here?
As an example, I installed Calibre from the software center and the program won't start.
Can I add repositories meant for the Pi and have them run on the Pinebook? Clearly I'm in over my head but I'm hoping to at least get a couple pieces of software running to keep learning.
I should mention I'm running on the recent default Manjaro installation based on kernel version 5.6.0.2.
RE: Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? - Arwen - 06-05-2020
One of the problems that ARM has, that also early x64 had, was multi-library. Meaning when x64 came out, old x86 software would not run if you booted a 64 bit OS. They solved it by having both 32 bit, (x86), and 64 bit, (x64), libraries and support. So you could run any Linux compatible x86 or x64 program, as long as you had all the dependencies.
At present, there does not seem to be this multi-library configuration for ARM, yet. The original Raspberry Pi's were 32 bit ARM. Newer ones support 64 bit ARM. So it's a toss up if the program(s) you want, will work. The original OS for the Pinebook Pros was 32 bit Debian. Now we are shipped with 64 bit Manjaro.
To be fair, most user type ARM computers are tablets, phones or single board computers. You use what they supported, (32 bit or 64 bit). It's only recently that Linux ARM laptops and some more powerful SBCs have make this desirable. (Chromebooks have an embedded OS, so again multi-library did not mater.)
This ARM multi-library feature is on my wish list.
RE: Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? - rossk - 06-06-2020
I don't know what "software center" refers to, but you should be able to open a terminal, type "pamac install calibre", follow the prompts and you'll have a working app!
You may find most of what you want in the Manjaro repo's already.
RE: Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? - Arwen - 06-06-2020
(06-06-2020, 06:59 AM)rossk Wrote: I don't know what "software center" refers to, but you should be able to open a terminal, type "pamac install calibre", follow the prompts and you'll have a working app!
You may find most of what you want in the Manjaro repo's already.
Thank you for actually answering the guy's question.
I had gotten on my "soap box", and forgot about the original issue, "calibre".
RE: Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? - chetchinglo - 06-06-2020
(06-05-2020, 04:43 PM)Arwen Wrote: One of the problems that ARM has, that also early x64 had, was multi-library. Meaning when x64 came out, old x86 software would not run if you booted a 64 bit OS. They solved it by having both 32 bit, (x86), and 64 bit, (x64), libraries and support. So you could run any Linux compatible x86 or x64 program, as long as you had all the dependencies.
At present, there does not seem to be this multi-library configuration for ARM, yet. The original Raspberry Pi's were 32 bit ARM. Newer ones support 64 bit ARM. So it's a toss up if the program(s) you want, will work. The original OS for the Pinebook Pros was 32 bit Debian. Now we are shipped with 64 bit Manjaro.
To be fair, most user type ARM computers are tablets, phones or single board computers. You use what they supported, (32 bit or 64 bit). It's only recently that Linux ARM laptops and some more powerful SBCs have make this desirable. (Chromebooks have an embedded OS, so again multi-library did not mater.)
This ARM multi-library feature is on my wish list.
I hadn't even thought of this. My assumption was that x86 programs would run on x64, but that's all been because of multi-library being present on many non ARM systems. I'm going to check out the last release of 32bit Debian and see if that fares better.
RE: Software Compatibility, If on Pi then? - chetchinglo - 06-06-2020
(06-06-2020, 06:59 AM)rossk Wrote: I don't know what "software center" refers to, but you should be able to open a terminal, type "pamac install calibre", follow the prompts and you'll have a working app!
You may find most of what you want in the Manjaro repo's already.
I used the wrong term for the "Add/Remove Software" men, which has a nice selection of software but few programs work.
Reinstalling with "pacman -S calibre" worked perfect, thank you!