GNU-Darwin Enters Beta

The GNU-Darwin distribution of Apple's open-source effort offically reached beta Monday. Aimed at being the most free and open of any distribution utilizing the unique Darwin/Mach Operating Environment, GNU-Darwin is not directly related to Apple. Instead, it is developed openly and based at the popular Source Forge Web site. Over one hundred packages are incorporated in the release including an Xdarwin window sever, abiword word processor, Open-SSH-2.9.9, an enhanced version of the Dillo Web browser and the GNOME desktop environment.

Mac OS X.1 users can now install the GNU-Darwin basefiles with one command as root.

curl http://gnu-darwin.sourceforge.net/one_stop | csh

Darwin-only users (i386 or Mac) will need the curl package, or should consult the network installation instructions for Darwin.

In addition, the bootable installer CD now installs Darwin-1.4.1. It is recommended for installation of the Darwin Unix base, but it also includes the GNU-Darwin beta packages.

Darwin, the core of Mac OS X, is based on FreeBSD and Mach 3.0 technologies.