[Gllug] Linux directory conventions

[Bruce Richardson]

On Sat, Nov 08, 2003 at 04:04:15PM +0000, Harry wrote:
> > It's a good place to put anything you run up yourself, like admin
> > scripts or applications you compile from the original source (as opposed
> > to compiling a source package into a binary package).  Your
> > distribution's packaging system will leave the contents of /usr/local
> > alone and it means you can keep all (or almost all) your modifications
> > to one location, which makes things more manageable.
> 
> I take it something like PostgreSQL would be considered a 'source package'.
> Source code that can be downloaded again if need be.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but that's not it.  A source package
is a package containing the source from which binary packages are
created.

The "purest" way to install an application is download the source code
as provided by the original author, compile it and then copy the
compiled binaries into their locations (the source will usually come
with scripts that automate most of that).  But what most people do is
install binary packages - packages containing pre-compiled binaries,
documentation etc - using a package management tool like rpm.  The
package management tool automates the process of installation and
removal and lists all the installed files (and much more).

A source package, on the other hand, contains all the files needed to
build a binary package.  For example, if you don't like the way Red Hat
package Postgres, you could download the original Postgres sources and
compile and install them yourself (into /usr/local).  However, that way
you lose the advantages of package management (ease of use, integration
with the rest of the Red Hat packages).  So instead you can download the
Red Hat source package for Postgres, change some of the configuration
options and then build a new binary package from that.  This leaves you
with an application built to your own needs but that can be managed as
yet another package.

-- 
Bruce

A problem shared brings the consolation that someone else is now
feeling as miserable as you.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 261 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.lug.org.uk/pipermail/gllug/attachments/20031108/54868511/attachment.pgp>
-------------- next part --------------
-- 
Gllug mailing list  -  Gllug at linux.co.uk
http://list.ftech.net/mailman/listinfo/gllug