[plug] Easy Installation: Linux Desktop Market

[Alex Nordstrom]

Thursday, 27 October 2005 10:57, Craig Ringer wrote:
> To me, the only really dumb thing is to configure an app you're
> installing manually to install into the /usr tree. /opt or /usr/local
> are there for a reason, and it's often not a great idea to be
> treading all over the package manager's domain. It might well
> overwrite some of the files you've installed later - but often not
> all - causing all sorts of special fun down the track.

Not every installation script readily lets you avoid clobbering the 
package manager's part of the filesystem, though. Sun's JVM is 
notorious for having to be installed in a chroot jail because it puts 
things where it doesn't belong, for example.

/opt is not completely safe, either. Package managers are allowed to 
install here according to the FHS, but must not overwrite manually 
installed files. While installing files manually, you're on your own to 
ensure you don't overwrite anything you shouldn't. Yet another reason 
the /opt tree is a Bad Idea, but don't get me started on that.

-- 
Alex Nordstrom
http://lx.n3.net/
Please do not CC me in followups; I am subscribed to plug.
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