Re: Bug#2182: perl shouldn't touch /usr/local
Hi,
I think David Engel's solution about /etc/site-perl/ hierarchy
is the sanest that emerged in this rather heated discussion. If the
package does not create the directory, andmerely advises the
adminstrator to create a symlink when needed, I think that /etc is
more appropiate that /var/lib, but I don't feel strongly about it.
There was some mention that this was `a maintainer sprucing up
a package', but, in fact, a site perl directory _is_ recommended by
the upstream package (though the default would come out to be
/usr/lib/perl5/site-perl, or something close). This is " a worthy
extension", and Larry Wall _has_ included it. (though maybe the
poster was speacking of CGI.pm when he said that).
The problem with setting PERL5LIB variable is also that you
have to remember to do it in a lot of places (all the init files for
all the shells that your users use, in cron files, and all you
cgi-bin scripts) when there is an option already for the package to
search for it somewhere. Of course, nothing depends on it, as has
been noted. (As to things *will* depend on /usr/local if some thing
is placed in site-perl, well, that is true too of /usr/local/bin
being in $PATH).
I think not providing a directory to the user where they may
stick perl libraries that are searched by default is doing them a
disservice, and should be considered a broken implementation of
perl.
manoj
--
"It's no sweat, Henry. Russ made it back to Bugtown before he died.
So he'll regenerate in a couple of days. It's just awful sloppy of
him to get killed in the first place. Humph!" -- Ron Post, Post
Brothers Comics %%
Manoj Srivastava Systems Research Programmer, Project Pilgrim,
Phone: (413) 545-3918 A143B Lederle Graduate Research Center,
Fax: (413) 545-1249 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
<srivasta@pilgrim.umass.edu> <URL:http://www.pilgrim.umass.edu/%7Esrivasta/>
Reply to: