RPMs contain the source. RPM is just manages the source and the install. Issuing an 'rpm --rebuild spamassassin-2.60-1.src.rpm' will perform a 'make' and 'make install'. What RPM can bring to the table, however, is a spec file that describes the installation method and all dependencies in a nice database format. In the end, there is more information about the install at an administrator's fingertips. RPMs are the way to go. They don't just work for vanilla installations. They work very well for custom installations. One can package multiple applications including CPAN source dependencies and patches via the RPM. Again, workinging from the RPM source rather than a packaged RPM is usually best as it compiles to fit the environment of the host it is being installed on. If many of the machines are replicated via kickstart, an RPM can be created to be installed during installation or post installation. I really have not even scratched the surface of the flexibility of RPMs. If this was not advantageous, I would not spend the time to find the right source and prepare a spec file for that installation. When I am done the spec file can live through many updates with very little maintenance. Anything else for a Linux system that uses RPM, or similar like yum or apt, is more work. RPM can describe the machine for any administrator that touches the keyboard.
--Larry > -----Original Message----- > From: Darren Coleman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 10:28 AM > To: Chris Santerre; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: [SAtalk] Spamassassin updates > > > I'm Linux SysAdmin at the company I work for, I always > install everything from source. A colleague, a Windows > SysAdmin, installs everything on his Linux boxes from RPMs. > > What does that tell you? :) > > Although I like the concept behind RPMs, and they work well > for vanilla installations (like SA oddly enough), I much > prefer compiling things from scratch with whichever machine > specific optimisations I care to implement. > > Daz > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of Chris Santerre > > Sent: 16 October 2003 14:48 > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Subject: RE: [SAtalk] Spamassassin updates > > > > > > The topic of updates has come up every new version of SA. You > > have 3 > > options: > > > > 1) Source > > 2) RPM > > 3) CPAN > > > > For some strange reason I always like the source. I think it > > goes back to my > > childhood, when mom said "Why do you have to do everything > > the hard way?" > > :-) > > > > Anywho, I would love to see this subject broken down on the > > wiki in nice > > form. I'm not even close to being able to write that. I've > > only upgraded > > once, and that was before it went live. 2.61 will be my > next upgrade. > > > > It's just a suggestion, but any takers? This has been a > great thread. > > > > --Chris > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. > > SourceForge.net hosts over 70,000 Open Source Projects. See > the people > > who have HELPED US provide better services: Click here: > > http://sourceforge.net/supporters.php > > _______________________________________________ > > Spamassassin-talk mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/spamassassin-talk > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. > SourceForge.net hosts over 70,000 Open Source Projects. See > the people who have HELPED US provide better services: Click > here: http://sourceforge.net/supporters.php > _______________________________________________ > Spamassassin-talk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/spamassassin-talk > ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.net email is sponsored by: SF.net Giveback Program. SourceForge.net hosts over 70,000 Open Source Projects. See the people who have HELPED US provide better services: Click here: http://sourceforge.net/supporters.php _______________________________________________ Spamassassin-talk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/spamassassin-talk
