On Tuesday 18 December 2007 04:23:03 pm Chuck Cole wrote: > > -----Original Message----- > > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org > > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Dan Rue > > Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2007 3:53 PM > > To: Mike Miller > > Cc: tclug-list at mn-linux.org > > Subject: Re: [tclug-list] FreeBSD coherence > > > > On Tue, Dec 18, 2007 at 03:26:53PM -0600, Mike Miller wrote: > > > On Tue, 18 Dec 2007, Dan Rue wrote: > > >> One nice thing about all of this from my (the admin's) perspective, is > > >> that FreeBSD's base config files live in /etc, and ALL third party > > >> configurations live in /usr/local/etc. In fact, all third party > > >> ports/packages get installed to /usr/local. No matter how badly you > > >> hose up your box, it is safe to rm -rf /usr/local/ and (and > > >> /var/db/pkg and maybe one or two other spots) and start over. > > > > > > Can't things also be installed on a Linux system so that they > > > > are entirely > > > > > within /usr/local? That's what I usually do with > > > > > > ./configure prefix=/usr/local > > > > > > But that is the typical default path, so the prefix is usually not > > > specified. I like your idea but I don't see why it can't be > > > > done in Linux > > > > > too. Maybe it's a lot easier to pull it off in FreeBSD. > > > > With respect, I think you missed the point. > > > > Sure, it's possible to do these things in Linux. It's an open source > > OS, you can do whatever you want. But in FreeBSD, it's not only > > default, it's very strict and the same no matter who's maintaining the > > machines (unless they go out of their way to break it, that is). > > > > So if linux packages by default go in /usr/local, what goes in /? I > > know linux configs always go to /etc. I imagine some packages will > > install to /bin, and some to /usr/local/bin? Is it just ad-hoc based on > > the mood of the maintainer? This is what I mean by having a *strict* > > hierarchy. A freebsd port maintainer would get beat if they installed > > something to /etc, or to /bin, or to /lib, .. etc. > > > > Dan > > Seem both feasible and desirable to make some sort of after-the-fact "rule > checker" for Linux to self-enforce such a discipline and detect when > something new is contrary. Might need some heuristics in any case, but > that tool would preserve the option to take exception as well as the check > for anomalies. I think I'd prefer the rule checker since scope and > completeness become verifiable and not just an "implied mystique" of the > OS. > > > Chuck > Are you suggesting that it's easier to have a tool that tells you things are in the 'wrong place' than to just put them in the right place in the first place? That seems counter-intuitive to me, it's always less work and more robust to do it right the first time than to do it wrong and have a second-pass try and fix it. There is no 'implied mystique' in the FreeBSD ports tree. LOCALBASE is set to /usr/local, everything in the ports tree defaults to installing under that hierarchy. A port *can* override LOCALBASE, and in very rare occassions it's permitted....for instance, if the port installs a kernel module of some sort it has to be able to make it's way in to the root filesystem....but the vast majority of the 18,000+ apps in the ports tree simply do not put anything outside of /usr/local and it manages to happen without having to somehow clean up after the fact. -- Thanks, Josh Paetzel PGP: 8A48 EF36 5E9F 4EDA 5A8C 11B4 26F9 01F1 27AF AECB -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: application/pgp-signature Size: 187 bytes Desc: This is a digitally signed message part. Url : http://mailman.mn-linux.org/pipermail/tclug-list/attachments/20071218/033e04a9/attachment.pgp