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Re: [LUG] /opt

 

On 26/12/09 23:47, Neil Williams wrote:
On Sat, 26 Dec 2009 22:43:07 +0000
g_remlin<g_remlin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>  wrote:

I put all my development work under /opt - the point is that a
package must not do so - precisely because /opt/ can be used for
such purposes and there is no way of knowing whether stuff exists
in the directory contained in the package. Packages must not
override user data and as /opt/ is reserved for user data (where
user can also mean local admin use), packages have no right to put
anything there.

Version 2.3 of the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard (in part) states:

"/opt is reserved for the installation of add-on application software
packages.
A package to be installed in /opt must locate its static ïles in a
separate /opt/<package>  or
/opt/<provider>  directory tree, where<package>  is a name that
describes the software package and
<provider>  is the providerâs LANANA registered name."
As the second part confirms, these are local packages being described,
optional bits. The package manager (apt, dpkg etc.) cannot assume that
anything in /opt/ now will still be there next time - it's add-on,
optional, local stuff.

and

"The
directories /opt/bin, /opt/doc, /opt/include, /opt/info, /opt/lib,
and /opt/man are reserved for local system administrator use.
So the local admin (anyone with the root password or sudo privileges)
must be allowed to do 'sudo rm -rf /opt/' and *system* packages
(installed via system tools like apt, aptitude etc. and existing in
public repositories) must still continue to operate, albeit without
some add-ons but the local admin is responsible for handling those
anyway.

Packages may provide "front-end" ïles intended to be placed in (by
linking or copying) these reserved directories by the local system
administrator, but must function normally in the absence
of these reserved directories."
The files intended to be copied or symlinked into /opt/ therefore need
to exist in standard FHS directories, beneath /usr/

If your comments pertain to the Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, you have
misinterpreted it. But as I assume you are using GNU/Linux it doesn't matter
as you are free to do your own thing.....



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