On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 2:30 PM, Grant <emailgr...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> Writing an ebuild is best, but sometimes you just want to give a >>> program a try without writing an ebuild (like everyone else running >>> Linux does) and a scruft script enables you to do that without making >>> a mess of your system. >> >> Not to be picky, it's just an idea but in that case, isn't it way easier to >> just ./configure --prefix=/some/dir/inside/yourhome or edit a makefile? > > I have to say I know nothing about compiling or installing outside of > portage. Does specifying a prefix like that work? You get a fully > functional program with nothing installed outside of some/dir?
Yes, it's the "normal way" for people that don't use package managers. I almost always install into my home directory for programs that aren't in portage (or make my own ebuild if it is a simple one). Or depending on what program it is, create a user for it and run it under that user account so it can't touch anything else. Also, a lot of more simple programs don't even need to be installed. Just untar it, configure it, make it and run it from the directory in which the source resides. Paul
