Patrick Shanahan wrote: > * Billie Erin Walsh <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [01-14-07 23:47]: > [...] >> The major differences I see are the file structure and how you >> install something. I have no clue where stuff is on the hard drives, >> [ there's bits, pieces, and copies of stuff all over the place ] but >> then I don't have to. The computer keeps track of all that stuff. >> Software installation is a whole other can of worms. There ain't a >> whole lot of standardization sometimes. RPM's are pretty much a no >> brainer, most of the time. Tar balls on the other hand. Well, lets >> just say ya better find that "readme" in there somewhere. > > > If using an rpm-based distro, searching for and reading the 'README' in > a tar ball is definitely not enough. A tar ball install procedure > knows nothing of the rpm structure and database and vice versa. > Installing from tar ball will corrupt your rpm-based system, altering > file structure and replacing/removing files necessary to other > applications, perhaps to the point of a failed system. > > At the very least, when installing a tar ball, checkinstall should be > employed, UNLESS YOU ARE VERY KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT LINUX STRUCTURE.
While this is technically true, the fact is that any official suse rpm packages install binaries in /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, etc. OTOH, tarball builds inevitably default to installing binaries in /usr/local/bin, /usr/local/sbin, etc, so there is no collision. According to old unix traditions, /usr/local is where non-vendor stuff is installed. Joe -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
