SFS Technology

Infobox Software
name = SFS Technology



caption = screenshot of the settings for SFS Technology
collapsible =
author =
developer = Vincenzo Dentamaro
released =
latest release version = 0.3.0.4 [http://www.unixteam.net/index.php?mod=Download/SFS%20Technology%20NEW%20VERSION]
latest release date = release date|2008|10|06
latest preview version =
latest preview date =
frequently updated =
programming language =
operating system = Linux
platform =
size =
language =
status =
genre = Software Management System
license = GPL (client)
website = [http://www.unixteam.net/ UNIXTEAM]

SFS Technology is a system for software management and usage on Linux platforms.

Description

The main idea is to create a single compressed executable file that contains both the executable binary file and the libraries necessary to the correct execution of the program, together with other resources (such as icons, various scripts etc). This means that each SFS file contains the strictly necessary libraries for its correct execution directly into the SFS Package.
A SFS Package, therefore, will contain neither the typical libraries of the graphical interfaces (GTK,GTK2,QT and so on) nor the other libraries existing in a normal Ubuntu installation.
Because of its peculiarity, each SFS "program" is a stand-alone one, thus allowing the coexistence of different versions of the same program at the same time.

The Linux Operating System will recognize the SFS Package as an effectively executable binary file. It is possible, in this way, the association of files (as for example the audio and video files) to the “program.sfs” that will execute.

This technology leaves the base configuration of the operating system unchanged.

How Does It Work

The SFS file basically is a filesystem compressed with the squashfs algorithm, which is mounted by the software called “sfslauncher” that will read the name of the executable contained in the SFS Package, and will export the environment variables for other applications to use the libraries contained into the package (e.g. $LD_LIBRARY_PATH). This grants the dynamic compatibility with the linking libraries. Then sfslauncher starts the program contained in the package.

Compatibility

SFS Technology is designed for 32 and 64 bit platforms.
A version for Linux mobile (for ARM architecture processors) is under developing.
At the moment, this technology is only implemented in [http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Tiger Linux Tiger] and Super Ubuntu [ [http://hacktolive.org/su Super Ubuntu] ] , but it's also available for Ubuntu.

Limitations

*To be launched the sfs file name must not contain spaces, for example: "Program_A.sfs"
*The file name to pass at the sfs executable must not exceed 255 characters
*Max 256 SFS Programs file can be mounted at the same time

References

cite journal |title=SFS Technology |year=2008 |journal=LinuxPro |month=May |language=Italian

* [http://www.unixteam.net/index.php?mod=Download&file=SFS_Documentation.txt Official Site]