[CWB] [ cwb-Bugs-3043353 ] rpm should never install files in /usr/local

[SourceForge.net]

Bugs item #3043353, was opened at 2010-08-11 22:26
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by andrewhardie
You can respond by visiting: 
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=722303&aid=3043353&group_id=131809

Please note that this message will contain a full copy of the comment thread,
including the initial issue submission, for this request,
not just the latest update.
Category: Compilation issues
Group: None
>Status: Closed
>Resolution: Wont Fix
Priority: 5
Private: No
Submitted By: Edgar Hoch (imsedgar)
Assigned to: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
Summary: rpm should never install files in /usr/local

Initial Comment:
The file rpm-linux.spec build a rpm package that installs files in /usr/local.
But /usr/local is by convention reserved for manual installation of system administrators and should never be modified by a software package.
Sie Linux Standard Base (LSF), which uses Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (FHS):
http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#USRLOCALLOCALHIERARCHY

Add-on software should install in /opt:
http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#OPTADDONAPPLICATIONSOFTWAREPACKAGES

Following this the rpm-linux.spec and config/site/linux-rpm should be changed to install in /opt/ims-ocwb/ or something similar.
The package can make symbolic links in /usr/bin for the user callable programms.

If I will have time I will provide patches some day.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

>Comment By: Andrew Hardie (andrewhardie)
Date: 2010-08-13 08:25

Message:
I am not convinced of the need for this change; firstly because it's not
clear that CWB is more appropriately labelled "add-on software" than
"manual installation of system administrators" (clearly it is manually
installed and clearly it's sysadmins who do it!); secondly because a quick
look around the webs suggests that, in any case, the distinction between
/opt and /usr/local is not so clear cut. See:

http://www.linuxjournal.com/magazine/pointcounterpoint-opt-vs-usrlocal
http://lists.netisland.net/archives/plug/plug-2006-01/msg00130.html
http://serverfault.com/questions/96416/should-i-install-linux-applications-in-var-or-opt
http://superuser.com/questions/122420/usr-local-or-opt
http://art.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=8848283

...the comments on the last three pages in particular suggest that,
insofar as there is a difference, /usr/local is better for CWB. Thirdly and
finally, since we've been installing in /usr/local and there is no
uninstall script, changing to /opt would mean everyone would have two
versions of CWB in parallel the next time they updated - potentially
bothersome. So -- unless Stefan thinks differently -- I'm marking this a
won't-fix.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

You can respond by visiting: 
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=722303&aid=3043353&group_id=131809