For rpm's it's easy, but for source code that's a pretty good question that I'm
surprised doesn't get asked more often (and it's probably a big reason why
rpm's are popular).
Anyway for an rpm you uninstall by typing 'rpm -e <packagename>'. Note that
the package name is not necessarily the entire filename the package was
installed from. Let's say you install a package from a file called
'blah-0.5-3mdk.i586.rpm', you would uninstall it by typing 'rpm -e blah'.
Programs compiled from source code are trickier. I usually untar my source
packages under /usr/local/src, and keep the source code there. Some
programmers give their makefiles an 'uninstall' target, so that you can go back
to the source code directory and type 'make uninstall' to have it remove all of
the files it copied when you did the 'make install'.
Unfortunately, not all programs come with an uninstall option. Outside of
looking at the makefile to see what it installs and where, and removing each
file manually, I'm really not sure how it's supposed to be handled.
On 15-Aug-99 The Postman wrote:
> I have seen (fist over hand) a ton of FAQs on how to install various
> program by compiling or through RPMs. So is there a way to uninstall? Is
> there a FAQ for it out there. And I am not JUST talking about RPM stuff
> either. I have installed many things with source code.
>
> I have NEVER seen anyone address this issue.
>
> Postman
