On Mon, 7 Oct 2024, Harald Arnesen via cctalk wrote: > > > Have you tried to run any libc5-program lately? Or a.out binaries? > > Does WordPerfect 8 (released in 1998) count? > > > > If so, yes, I have: > > > > https://www.theregister.com/2022/07/20/wordperfect_for_unix_for_linux/ > > > > Instructions to install it yourself: > > > > https://www.xwp8users.com/wp81script.htm > > Sure, I have tested it myself. I can't see a regular user having a need to run > a random libc5-program will manage to do this (hunt down the libraries needed > and the like).
Running 25 years old a piece of software in a new deployment has never been a regular use case. Support is there in the OS, but I agree that making the individual thing run can be a challenge, and if one feels incapable of taking it, they can always ask/hire someone to do it for them. Software freedom does not imply freedom from challenges or free support. FWIW compiling 25 years old a piece of software is even tougher, unless you use contemporary tools in a contemporary environment, so while the availability of the source code is surely always worth appreciating, the challenge to make them run is not any smaller. NB if you clean up old a.out support and submit it for re-inclusion in Linux along with a serious offer to maintain it long-term, then it may well end up being accepted. You have the option to maintain it off-tree too. Maciej
