Re: On the use of extension directories
On Thu, Sep 20, 2001 at 08:46:04AM -0700, Bill Wohler wrote:
> Jeff Turner <jeff@socialchange.net.au> writes:
> > I think that's best. lib/ext is not overridable by *anything*, not even
> > /usr/bin/java. Say I just installed the Tomcat 3.2 .deb, and it put
> > servlet.jar (2.2) in lib/ext. Then I want to try out Tomcat 4.0 from
> > CVS. It will break because it requires 2.3 of servlet.jar, and lib/ext
> > cannot be overridden.
>
> Who says "lib/ext cannot be overridden?" Are people here saying that
> the extension directory is like /usr/local and shouldn't be touched
> by .debs? Hmmm.
Well I am anyway ;P
> Anyway, servlet.jar is an excellent example. I had the same problem
> when I was running both jserv (.deb) and tomcat (source).
>
> I believe both cases could be fixed by appropriate dependencies.
> tomcat would conflict with jserv, kicking out the old servlet.jar,
> and the newer tomcat would update the older tomcat, replacing the
> old servlet.jar.
Yes, it's perfectly fine if everything were in .debs. That's why I said
"Tomcat 4.0 from CVS", to indicate that the problem is non-packaged code
which is what developers deal with most of the time.
No matter how the packaging works, it must not prevent users from
playing with unpackaged code. Putting jars in lib/ext will inevitably
cause conflicts, as in the little scenario I outlined above.
--Jeff
[snip]
> --
> Bill Wohler <wohler@newt.com> http://www.newt.com/wohler/ GnuPG ID:610BD9AD
> Maintainer of comp.mail.mh FAQ and mh-e. Vote Libertarian!
> If you're passed on the right, you're in the wrong lane.
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