On Thu, 11 Oct 2001, Tom Rauschenbach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Maybe this is a different thread, but why are you using rpm ? Why not get
> the source and do it all by hand ? I've always mistrusted rpm and appget et.
> al. as it seems to me like turning over too much control to entities whose
> first interest is not me. My goal is to have machines with zero software I
> havn't built from source. Am I the only one ?
No, I have a similar philosophy as well for maintaining my 6-7 linux machines
at home.
I usually install a somewhat minimal Redhat system, and manage that
"base system" via Redhat rpm's (mostly security fixes). But for the
bulk of the applications I prefer to build from source.
There is an added benifit to doing it this way. I usually build
packages like this:
% ./configure --prefix=/dist
% make
this way I only install the software on my "server" (my workstation
actually), and then via NFS mounting of /dist all of the other machines
on my LAN automatically pick up the added software as well. Basically
all a user has to do is set their $PATH to contain /dist/bin.
The same /dist/bin distribution trick works for binary-only packages as well,
e.g. netscape 4.x, realplayer, Staroffice, etc. They are installed to a
subdir of /dist/pkg and a wrapper script, e.g. /dist/bin/netscape, sets
any environment and launches the app.
I am a hobbyist with about 6 machines (2 are laptops) and I find this
works well. But this sort of scheme might not be that great for other
usage patterns (e.g. a single workstation or many disconnected machines
in a professional setting). rpm, appget, etc may be better for those
situations (I'd still claim my /dist trick works well there, but I don't
have enough experience to be sure). So it will depend a bit on the setup
one is sysadmin-ing.
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