James Wilkinson wrote:
David Cary Hart wrote:
> Almost every package is compiled with --prefix=/usr (including KDE) when > installing to RH or Fedora.
When the file is installed using RPM.
Uh, that is not an rpm thing. Download a gnome rpm from Suse and see how they hack together a combo of /opt/gnome and /etc/opt/gnome for prefix and sysconfdir paths.
That's arguable.
I'd recommend that if you *aren't* using RPM, put files in /usr/local. Keep one area for RPM to manage, and one area that it won't touch. Then you don't have to worry about yum update pulling in a new package that overwrites a file that you compiled yourself.
James.
That fits my usual rant about locally compiled programs should be the only ones installed in /usr/local no matter what the wonderful folks at sunfreeware.com think or what the makers of linux games think either /usr/local/games? I hate that it breaks the whole damn model for the filesystem and certain tools based on the whole loki stuff don't want it any other way either.
/ = stuff needed to boot.
/usr = userland programs accessible to everyone.
/usr/local = locally compiled stuff.
/opt = optional commercial software.
Just the way it should be. However, locally compiled programs in /usr/local have issues with gconf schemas and such and a lot of care has to be taken for gnome programs and various options. Damn thing should read for various standard locations for gconf key info including prefix/etc/gconf (homedir)/.gconf and also /usr/local/etc/gconf. In fact I might file a bug on that.
On 2/9/05 at 11:56 am, Rob Rosenthal wrote:
1. Okay, so I take it if the README or INSTALL file in a tarball does NOT specify a particular --prefix, I need not specify one when compiling UNLESS I want to decide where I want the program to install itself. Is that right?
2. Since I compile some programs myself but mostly use yum to install rpms and keep updated, what is the neatest way to keep things organized with a minimum of problems and conflicts?
(Thanks to James and David for responding)
Rob
