yum gcc will probably get gcc, but not necessarily one the OP needs if he needs the mentioned cross-compiler for a new-fangled microcontroller. If they are there, he is going to need to find the options that will build a cross-compiler. If they are not there, he will have to compile from source. Since he does not now have a compiler, yum gcc will still be necessary for building the cross-compiler. If he needs a cross-compiler for a new-fangled machine, he will need to do more than just select options, he will need to teach gcc the instruction set of the new-fangled machine. Once he has built his new compiler, he will probably need to compile a new set of standard libraries to go with it. About ./configure and make: Performing ./configure and make as an ordinary user is probably safe enough. It's doing the make install as root that has the potential for trouble. My first thought in this regard is to determine whether one really wants the software installed as as system software. If not, something like make prefix=$HOME/verylocal install will probably do the trick. One does not have to become root. If one does want the software installed as system software, do some testing first. Edit Makefile, removing any .SILENT targets. As an ordinary user, make -n prefix=/opt 'CP=cp -i' install 2>&1 | tee makeno.out Examine maken.out to check whether something that one does not want overwritten will be overwritten. One might want to grep the patterns CP.*-f and cp.*-f . As root perform similarly: make -n prefix=/opt 'CP=cp -i' install 2>&1 | tee makenr.out diff makeno.out makenr.out Unless the chatter includes times, there should be no difference. If there is a difference, note the reasons. Once satisfied that doing so is harmless, make prefix=/opt 'CP=cp -i' install 2>&1 | tee maker.out Package management is most useful on system software that is used by other system software. On software on top of the food chain it's not as useful, though it's not necessarily useless. -- Mike hennebry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx "Demons after money? Whatever happened to the still-beating heart of a virgin? No one has any standards any more." -- Rupert Giles
