# Gnome is STILL installing



## jbruyet (Jan 9, 2013)

Hey all, I'm relatively new to FreeBSD but I do have experience with Linux and I have a question -- how long should it take to install Gnome? I installed FreeBSD 9.0 x64 on an HP ProLiant DL360 w/quad core 2400 and 8 gigs of RAM. Total time for the install (that I've sat here) is a little over three hours and still going strong. That seems a little extreme to me but like I said I'm new to FreeBSD. I probably could cancel the Gnome install but after it's gone this long I'd hate to kill it moments before it finishes. Is this normal behavior? Any ideas? Suggestions? Recommendations? 

Thanks,

Joe B


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## cpm@ (Jan 9, 2013)

http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=22487.


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## wblock@ (Jan 10, 2013)

How are you installing it?  Ports compile from source and take longer than packages.


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## jbruyet (Jan 10, 2013)

--> wblock@ and cpu82, yes I am installing from ports. I was under the impression that the ports system had most of the installation files local on the server but I was WAY off on that one. Thanks for the info.

Thanks,

Joe B


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## blackhaz (Jan 10, 2013)

Instead of compiling Gnome from scratch, you can install a binary package instead using pkg_add(1). More information in the Handbook.


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## wblock@ (Jan 10, 2013)

jbruyet said:
			
		

> --> wblock@ and cpu82, yes I am installing from ports. I was under the impression that the ports system had most of the installation files local on the server but I was WAY off on that one. Thanks for the info.



Even if the distfiles (the actual source code) was on the system, it still takes a while to compile.  Count me as one of the people who think building from ports is worthwhile.  There are a lot of people who spend a lot of time trying to save time with packages.  By the time they are done, it may have been faster to just build the port.  And the result is built for that system, which avoids a lot of potential problems.

The new pkgng will make packages a lot easier to use.  It solves most of the problems of the old package system.  But ports still make sense on a lot of systems.


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## adripillo (Jan 10, 2013)

jbruyet said:
			
		

> Hey all, I'm relatively new to FreeBSD but I do have experience with Linux and I have a question -- how long should it take to install Gnome? I installed FreeBSD 9.0 x64 on an HP ProLiant DL360 w/quad core 2400 and 8 gigs of RAM. Total time for the install (that I've sat here) is a little over three hours and still going strong. That seems a little extreme to me but like I said I'm new to FreeBSD. I probably could cancel the Gnome install but after it's gone this long I'd hate to kill it moments before it finishes. Is this normal behavior? Any ideas? Suggestions? Recommendations?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Joe B



It takes a lot of time, depends on your computer but more than 5-6 hours in mine, same as KDE if you install full from ports of course.


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## wblock@ (Jan 10, 2013)

Looking at post #1 again, why are you installing a big desktop environment on a server?


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## jbruyet (Jan 11, 2013)

--> wblock, because I'm just "looking at" FreeBSD at this time. Searching for installed programs, perusing manuals while making changes, etc... is easier for me if I use a GUI (web page open in one window and a terminal in a second window). A guy who came through my youth group and now works for a company that provides remote administration services recommended FreeBSD to me so I'm giving it a shot. 

At this time the server is a non-production server but if I decide to move this direction it'll be wiped and installed without a GUI. That's pretty much how I started with Linux.

AND, to top it all off, after all this time the install ended with some "stop" messages. I haven't checked logs or looked at the stop messages closely or anything yet; I'll do that later when I have time. 

Thanks for the info everyone,

Joe B


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## wblock@ (Jan 11, 2013)

If you want the desktop experience, PC-BSD is FreeBSD with KDE all configured.  It can also be configured with Gnome, LXDE, and xfce.

For testing, this is easier and quicker than doing the install and configure on your own.


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## Beastie (Jan 12, 2013)

jbruyet said:
			
		

> I'm just "looking at" FreeBSD at this time. Searching for installed programs, perusing manuals while making changes, etc... is easier for me if I use a GUI (web page open in one window and a terminal in a second window).
> [...]
> At this time the server is a non-production server but if I decide to move this direction it'll be wiped and installed without a GUI.


In that case you don't really *need* a huge desktop environment such as GNOME.

The default full install of Xorg already has TWM and Xterm. Just add your favorite browser and you're set. And if you don't like TWM and Xterm, you could install say, x11-wm/blackbox and x11/rxvt-unicode.


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## piggy (Jan 13, 2013)

jbruyet said:
			
		

> --> wblock, because I'm just "looking at" FreeBSD at this time. Searching for installed programs, perusing manuals while making changes, etc... is easier for me if I use a GUI (web page open in one window and a terminal in a second window). A guy who came through my youth group and now works for a company that provides remote administration services recommended FreeBSD to me so I'm giving it a shot.
> 
> At this time the server is a non-production server but if I decide to move this direction it'll be wiped and installed without a GUI. That's pretty much how I started with Linux.
> 
> ...


This is what happen to most, even professional. And this is the reason becouse FreeBSD never grown up and never can be a "professional" choice. It is more like a "geek" passtime, and I think version 9.1 is even a lot buggy related with kernel memory leaks.

Related with packages, they always reply like Wblock did in this thread, becouse they never seriously taken in consideration 1993 was 20 years ago and in this frametime the way you interact with computers system changed a bit, just a lil bit 

If you need a "professional" *NIX choice (it means, solid, fast to build and configure, base system ready. mddern GUI for configuration and stuff) FreeBSD is not the right choice and your experience is the uptenth demonstration.


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## cpm@ (Jan 13, 2013)

Sure you like your election 

Each can find what each want, use solid motives that help to decide what is better for his necessities, but the OP wants to know how much time take compiling GNOME, this question is very relative. You can help with his doubt...


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## piggy (Jan 13, 2013)

cpu82 said:
			
		

> Sure you like your election
> 
> Each can find what each want, use solid motives that help to decide what is better for his necessities, but the OP wants to know how much time take compiling GNOME, this question is very relative. You can help with his doubt...


In fact I try to help with his doubt. Stay away from FreeBSD mess if you are a professional and your time is money or just precious, that is the answer.


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## bbzz (Jan 13, 2013)

What's with the troll infestation these last few days ?


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## cpm@ (Jan 13, 2013)

piggy said:
			
		

> In fact I try to help with his doubt. Stay away from FreeBSD mess if you are a professional and your time is money or just precious, that is the answer.



Have you escaped out from Phoronix Forums? Sorry, no time for read this stuff.

You try violate rule 6, don't you? :\


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## cpm@ (Jan 13, 2013)

bbzz said:
			
		

> What's with the troll infestation these last few days ?



What we can learn about his writing style? I think they don't like our rules


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## bbzz (Jan 13, 2013)

I have a great respect for a good troll.
A seasoned troller spends his time carefully crafting his ports, while choosing the right subjects to comment on.

He needs to start trolling in a reasonable manner and erudite manner. He needs to engage readers' interests and draw them in. He needs to do it in a manner that is easily readable, while letting the confusion and chaos slowly pour in.

Trolling on FreeBSD forums is not an easy task, compared to Phoronix forums where an average user has an IQ of a tuna can.

Which is too bad, I like to see a good trolling now and then.

A FreeBSD forum is not the place to start your trolling carrier.


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