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autumnmist · 12:36 AM

I have LaTeX and a bunch of other *nix-y apps installed on my MBP. What happens if I purchase and try to update to Leopard (e.g. not wiping the hard drive and doing a clean install)? I assume all my regular OS X apps will be ok, but what about the *nix ones installed in /sw /usr, etc? Will they still work?

Secondary question:
This will be my first time upgrading the OS on a Mac. On Windows, you're an idiot if you don't do a clean install when you update because your OS will be slow as hell. How about on a Mac?

0157988944 · Oct 21, 2007, 12:29 AM

Aside from if there's a problem with your *nix Apps, an Upgrade and Install shouldn't make your system any slower than it already was. That said, if it is slow, you might try an erase and install.

autumnmist · Oct 21, 2007, 12:36 AM

Will the *nix apps still work too? Or will they get overwritten/etc?

0157988944 · Oct 21, 2007, 12:39 AM

If they are standard Applications in the Applications folder, I don't see why not.

mduell · Oct 21, 2007, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by autumnmist

This will be my first time upgrading the OS on a Mac. On Windows, you're an idiot if you don't do a clean install when you update because your OS will be slow as hell. How about on a Mac?

Upgrading can cause funny problems with OS X, including slowness... I'd recommend Archive & Install.

autumnmist · Oct 24, 2007, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by adamfishercox

If they are standard Applications in the Applications folder, I don't see why not.

No, they're definitely *not* in the Applications folder--which is why I'm concerned.

A lot of stuff through Fink-- stuff like LaTeX are installed to /sw /usr, etc.

reader50 · Oct 24, 2007, 06:53 PM

OSX is blind about *nix apps. It doesn't go out of it's way to break them, but it doesn't try to preserve them either.

/sw Anything here will be safe, since OSX doesn't use that folder.
/usr/local/ Anything in here should be safe.
Elsewhere ... it varies.

AppleOptionFour · Oct 24, 2007, 06:55 PM

Make a list of what you use from the *nix side.

If you do lose them in the upgrade or install you can use FinkCommander to reinstall them. Its the easiest way to manage *nix apps.

I also use LaTex and the way I have it installed is like this:

Install FinkCommander
Install the package called "teTex" from FinkCommander -> takes a while do download.
Download LaTex Equation Editor Copyright 2003 J. McKenzie Alexander ([email protected]) -> The LaTex Front End
Download TexFog -> TeX Fo(rmula) G(raphic user interface), a visual help for typing formulas in TeX.

In LaTEx Equ Editor, go to Preferences and set the two paths for LaTex and Ghostscript to "/sw/bin/" without the quotes.

Then use TexFog to generate the LaTeX commands you can paste into the Equation Editor. The equation editor will generate PDF's and other graphic formats you can drag and drop.

In case installing teTeX does not install Ghostscript in FinkCommander, search for it and install "ghostscript" as well.

Hope this helps.

FinkCommander: FinkCommander - Home
LaTeX Equation Editor: LaTeX Equation Editor
TeXfog: TeX FoG

autumnmist · Oct 24, 2007, 06:56 PM

Damn, ok, thanks for the answer. I think I'm best off just listing the *nix apps I have installed and getting ready to reinstall later on.

Reinstalling LaTeX itself I think shouldn't be a big problem (thanks to MacTex!!!), but other apps will be.

AppleOptionFour · Oct 24, 2007, 07:06 PM

Second part: I like clean installs too...the easiest way to do it is an archive install. You get the best of both worlds. A clean install and your user specific files and settings.

davey64 · Oct 25, 2007, 10:46 AM

I am also going through this same process. Backing everything up, both using stuffit/gzip and using SuperDuper.
My main concerns are not so much for the installed applications but all the *nix utilities, "programs", and all their dependancies. I have spent quite some time using both Fink and MacPorts and compiling all these tools.

I suppose I will just have to bite the bullet and reinstall all of these too. I really want to do a fresh install as I am finally settling down with the apps I have weeded my way to, the ones which work better than others.

Looking for any advice, experiences others have had.

PER3 · Oct 25, 2007, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the reminder. I've modified httpd.conf so that Apache serves on another port than 80. The file will get trashed with the upgrade, so I'll make a backup.

Same with Net::SSLeay for enabling an SSL server.

Not quite sure what to do about its keys, yet.

Chuckit · Oct 25, 2007, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by reader50

OSX is blind about *nix apps. It doesn't go out of it's way to break them, but it doesn't try to preserve them either.

/sw Anything here will be safe, since OSX doesn't use that folder.
/usr/local/ Anything in here should be safe.
Elsewhere ... it varies.

I'm pretty sure /usr gets moved into the Previous Systems folder.

reader50 · Oct 25, 2007, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

I'm pretty sure /usr gets moved into the Previous Systems folder.

You're right regarding an Archive & Install. The original question was primarily about an upgrade install, so that was why I gave that answer.

peeb · Oct 25, 2007, 07:32 PM

Unless your current install is broken in some way, there is no real advantage to a fresh install over an upgrade install. The fresh-is-best attitude is a hangover from Windows. The likelihood of problems with an upgrade is tiny.