Re: [Gnue-dev] Our packaging should be changed to comply with the Linux Standards Base

[Stanley A. Klein]

I looked at the LSB following a recent link from Slashdot.  Turns out I
recalled things somewhat incorrectly.  The LSB actually specifies File
Hierarchy Standard 2.2, which defines the meaning of the various
directories.  The use of /usr/share for packages appears to derive from the
interpretations of the FHS by GNU/Linux distro providers.  (The FHS applies
to all *nix systems.)

There is a point of confusion that appears to me to arise because many
application packages are included in distros, and /usr/share is supposed to
be used for "application-specific, architecture-independent" software
supplied with the system.  The problem is that there is essentially no
difference in GNU/Linux between packages supplied as part of the distro and
other packages not supplied as part of a specific version of a distro but
which might be included in a later version or in another distro with
compatible packaging.

I would suggest adding a comment near the top of the GNUe static packaging
file to the effect that although the procedure was tested with /usr/local,
in static packaging for GNU/Linux, conformance to the LSB/FHS and distro
practices is desirable, and accordingly /usr/share should be used.


Stan Klein


At 09:20 AM 10/5/2002 -0500, Jason Cater wrote:
>This is what "--prefix /usr/share" is for. 
>
>-- Jason 
>
>On Thu, 03 Oct 2002 15:48:52
>"Stanley A. Klein" <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>> I was looking in CVS at the documentation on static packaging.  It
>> refers to installing in /usr/local.  According to the Linux Standards
>> Base, packaged applications are to be installed in /usr/share.  Also
>> (IIRC) according to the LSB, /usr/local is not to be used by external
>> packages, only by the system administrator.  We should change our
>> packaging accordingly and have GNUe install in /usr/share.
>> 
>> BTW, the LSB applies only to GNU/Linux and does not apply to other *nix
>> systems such as Solaris.
>> 
>> 
>> Stan Klein
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Gnue-dev mailing list
>> address@hidden
>> http://mail.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnue-dev
>
>