[ On , August 26, 2000 at 03:07:39 (-0700), Russ Allbery wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: HTML format documentation
>
> Well, I can repeat my standard statement when things like this come up:
> Any package which installs parts of itself somewhere other than under
> $(prefix) unless it's explicitly configured to be installed as part of the
> operating system is seriously broken.
The problem is that right now it is sometimes "hard" to configure an
autoconf'ed package to install as part of the operating system.
Choosing "--prefix=/" or "--prefix=/usr" is in theory all that's
necessary but it rarely, if ever, works exactly as you want (unless
you've in fact eliminated /usr and you do want "--prefix=/"!).
You will also get major arguments from perhaps half of the *BSD crowd if
you want to put your live config files anywhere but within /etc. Yes
the installed files should only be put under $(prefix), but the live
configuration files should be in /etc.
This implies that sample configuration files should only be installed to
some place like $(prefix)/share/examples, and that there be an "enable"
procedure (an administrative program separate from "make install", and
installed with the package) which copies the default configuration files
(including /etc/rc.d startup scripts, etc.) into /etc, edits system
configuration files (such as /etc/inetd.conf) if necessary, etc....
Note that this process has a major advantage in that it makes upgrading
packages with localised configuration files *much* easier! If you
follow the new guideline that states packages should be installed with
their files in unique subdirectory names that include the version number
(so as to facilitate simultaneous installation of multiple versions)
then you need only install the new version without de-installing the old
one and then do a three-way diff on any config file in order to update
the live config file with new stuff. This can even be automated by the
"enable" procedure (in its guise as an "upgrade" process).
--
Greg A. Woods
+1 416 218-0098 VE3TCP <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <robohack!woods>
Planix, Inc. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; Secrets of the Weird <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
