On Sat, 29 Oct 2005 12:47:51 -0500, Simo Leone wrote: > On Sat, Oct 29, 2005 at 12:54:14AM +0200, Mark Rosenstand wrote: > > Hey guys :) > > > > Would somebody mind explaining the purpose of the /opt prefixing in > > many Arch packages? > > > > I'm just wondering as it's starting to get a bit unhandy as more and > > more software ships with optional bindings for languages, e.g. GNOME > > applications (/opt/gnome) shipping Python (/usr) and Mono > > (/opt/mono) bindings. > > http://www.archlinux.org/docs/en/guide/install/arch-install-guide.html#guidelines > > --snip-- > > Directories > > Configuration files should be placed in the /etc directory. If there's > more than one configuration file, it's customary to use a subdirectory > in order to keep the /etc area as clean as possible. > Use /etc/{pkgname}/ where {pkgname} is the name of your package (or a > suitable alternative, eg, apache uses /etc/httpd/). > > Package files should follow these general directory guidelines: > /etc System-essential configuration files > /usr/bin Application binaries > /usr/sbin System binaries > /usr/lib Libraries > /usr/include Header files > /usr/lib/{pkg} Modules, plugins, etc. > /usr/man Manpages > /usr/share/{pkg} Application data > /etc/{pkg} Configuration files for {pkg} > /opt Large self-contained packages such as KDE, Mozilla, etc. > > --snip-- > > I see you're argument in saying that these packages are in a way no > longer self contained because of these bindings to things that are in > other places, but I think the fact is that the bindings are just > extensions/interfaces of a large self-contained core, so the logic of > /opt still stands.
I have read the guidelines, my question is *why* we put it in /opt? The only reason I can think of is if they had conflicting files, but since that isn't the case I can't see that it serves anything but extending $PKG_CONFIG_PATH, $ACLOCAL_FLAGS, etc. and clutter up a couple of files such as /etc/ld.so.conf and source a lot of files from /etc/profile.d for each login shell. What's the benefit? :-) > IIRC this is one of those issues that is brought up around here once > every month or so. Maybe someone should write an FAQ for these things? Yeah. I follow the list but I don't know the answer to the question, so either the question hasn't been answered properly or I've missed the thread. But I think it's something that confuses many people. At least it's the most common source of trouble I occur when I make packages, so a place in the FAQ is justified. -- .-. Mark Rosenstand (-.) oo| cc ) /`'\ (+45) 255 31337 3-n-( (\_;/) [EMAIL PROTECTED] _(|/`-> _______________________________________________ arch mailing list [email protected] http://www.archlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/arch
