Re: [kde] setting an /opt precedent
"Eray Ozkural (exa)" wrote:
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> On Thursday 17 January 2002 16:21, Daniel Stone wrote:
> > You might note the discussion on debian-kde of late, where Eray is
> > attempting to set a precedent by installing KDE3 into /opt/kde3. Let me
> > first disclose my viewpoint: I think this idea sucks, as you can clearly
> > see from my postings.
> >
>
> The answer I got when I asked "Why isn't /opt used in Debian ?" has always
> been "/opt violates Debian Policy".
>
> However on James's message, I read the section and saw that there is no such
> thing in neither the policy nor FHS. I'm only saying that installing packages
> in /opt doesn't seem to violate the FHS in any way. As I explained in my
> messages, "/opt violates Debian Policy" seems to depend on a certain
> assumption that "add-on" means "non-free software supplied by third party
> commercial vendors" whereas in the text of the FHS there is no such
> implication. On the contrary it says distributions can install software in
> /opt, just not touch a few reserved subdirs of /opt.
IMO the only possible meaning of "add-on" is that it is software that
does not come with disctribution. Any software that comes with debian
distribution is not "add-on" - otherwise everything would be "add-on"
(well, there could be a section/pool/whatever called add-ons but it
doesn't make much sense)
third party software can go in /opt - but IMO that kind of software
should _ALWAYS_ ask user where (s)he wants the software to be installed.
in addition to that the purpose of /opt is clearly to have a place
where user (admin) can install software that (s)he is responsible for
and the system should not touch it (=screw it up) in ANY way. otherwise
user needs another directory.
> However, using /opt may not be a good path to follow for most free software.
free or not free, nothing should go into /opt unless user specifically
asks for it to go into /opt. The whole point of having /opt is to have a
playground for local user (admin) that is never touched by system - why
else would one have /opt?
erik
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