Todd Lyons wrote:
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On Fri, Apr 14, 2006 at 07:20:28PM -0700, Dennis Peterson wrote:
You need to uninstall all the packages and build from source. And before
Before I begin, let me first say that if the guy is proficient and
comfortable compiling/installing/configuring from source, then this is a
great way to go. Having said that...
I'm just a little bit old school in that I think if you're going to be a
member of a network of networks and intend to exchange messages over a
critical and already shaky protocol like smtp you'd better be capable of
this very simple procedure. And it is very simple and astonishingly
repeatable. It's like chicken soup - it can't hurt.
I don't think this idea is too hot. You're sending him from a package
management scheme where the only thing he needs to keep track of is any
config files or sockets that may move around, to a package management
scheme where he has to keep track of those *PLUS* binaries and libaries?
You trust the Makefile to "do the right thing" in the same manner that
he trusts rpm to "do the right thing."
Every point you bring up is a critical function of an administrator. One
has no business thinking one is an administrator if any of this is
confusing. A prime reason why so many misconfigured mailers are out
there spewing the crap they do is because the operators are unqualified.
Every one of us should encourage these people to advance their knowledge
of their systems because that is the tide that rises all our boats. And
running make -n install is always a good idea. Makefile are no more or
less prone to human error than package installers.
One can build this product from source while somebody else's rpm
installed product is running - it isn't necessary to stop the messaging
while learning to build it, and there's no pressure to hurry along.
IMNSHO recommending that someone step outside of their distro's
packaging scheme should only be done if
a) the end user has exhibited massive knowledge of the source and how it
installs things.
or
b) you also recommend a move to a different distro, one that is not rpm
based, one that is more source intensive.
I'd recommend it if they aren't working. Hey - I did, in fact.
Even in case #b, imagine the derision you would get if you recommended
this same method to a Gentoo user. This guy's job just gets more
confusing if the install or upgrade don't work right.
It already doesn't work. If he does it himself and gets it right (not
all that hard - this isn't the science that rockets sprang from) then
he'll always be proficient ever after. ClamAV is a very simple product
to build.
At this point he is entirely dependant on the rpm's he gets (and they
aren't working). Now consider getting rpm's from various vendors over
time because one doesn't work quite right but he's heard another does.
The problem snowballs if, for example, the uninstall doesn't completely
uninstall and the next rpm install puts things in a different location
than the previous...
Dennis, I know you are a very experienced and highly capable admin
because I've seen you around the net. I'm in no way trying to question
your knowledge.
I have a thick skin.
dp
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