Re: libexec dir

[Andrew Pimlott <andrew@pimlott.net>]

On Sat, Jan 25, 2003 at 10:54:21AM -0700, Bob Proulx wrote:
> Andrew Pimlott wrote:
> > On Fri, Jan 24, 2003 at 03:55:55PM -0500, Bob Hilliard wrote:
> > >      Is a libexec dir any kind of a standard?  My upstream has
> > > configured dictd to look for user-compiled plugins in
> > > /usr/local/libexec, and I have never heard of such a libexec
> > > directory. 
> > 
> > You can find it the GNU coding standards, though it existed before
> > then.  It's not in the LSB/FHS.  Probably, you should use
> > /usr/local/lib or possibly /usr/local/share instead.
> 
> 'share' for compiled plugins?  That does not sound right.

Sorry, I didn't pay attention enough to notice that your plugins
were compiled.  I should have said "possibly /usr/local/share if
they are all scripts" or something.  "plugins" can take many forms,
depending on who's talking.

> I am not familiar with the dictd package but would a user compiling a
> local plugin and running a typical default installation of a typical
> plugin end up with the plugin installed in /usr/local/libexec?
> Guessing yes.  In which case I personally would leave that as the path
> to look for user compiled plugins.  Otherwise you will be requiring
> users to do something special without a overwhelmingly compelling
> reason, which violates the principle of "it should just work".
> 
> That is for the /usr/local which is defined to be driven by the local
> policy which would override Debian policy.  Local policy in practice
> has often meant /usr/local has been a defacto location where GNU
> standards apply since it is usually 'make install' using autotools
> that places files there.  Actually it is chaos and anarchy since many
> overlapping and conflicting policies have applied there.  But we need
> a place for that.  /usr/local is the the Wild West of the filesystem.

These are good points.  One argument in the other direction is that
if packaged plugins are installed in /usr/lib, one might expect
local plugins to be in /usr/local/lib.  So whichever choice you
make, you should be sure to document it.

I would personally have no problem with /usr/local/libexec, but I am
not a Debian policy authority or even a Debian developer.  :-)

Andrew