Re: File system standard?

[Jim Pick <jim jimpick com>]

"Eric M. Ludlam" <zappo@ultranet.com> writes:

> Is there a file system standard that specifies where gnome is to be
> installed?

Yes.  For Red Hat and Debian - it's called the FSSTND (soon to be replaced
by the FHS).  See http://www.pathname.com/fhs/

Because automake/autoconf is being used, this can be easily modified
at install time - ie. I'm using "./configure prefix=/opt/jimsnap" for
the snapshot Gnome .deb packages I am making.

> I got the nightly RPMs and everything was installed in
> /usr.  If X is in /usr/X11R6, and CDE is in /usr/dt, and Openwindows
> is in /usr/openwin, then shouldn't gnome be in /usr/gnome?

Those examples you refer to are historical exceptions.  Read the
FSSTND or FHS specs, and you will see that it is against the rules to
install other things directory under /usr.

The FHS and FSSTND rules exist for a reason - they enable people to mount
their /usr partition read-only, for example.

> I'd recommend the following:
> 
> /usr/gnome/bin
> /usr/gnome/lib
> /usr/gnome/man
> /usr/gnome/doc
> /usr/gnome/include
> 
> /usr/include/gnome* -> /usr/gnome/include/gnome*

Just use "./configure --prefix=/usr/gnome" if you want to do that.
But be aware that this is a contrary layout to the FHS/FSSTND rules.

> I realize that rpm removes much of the need for segregation, but I
> think this would make life better.

Except for people who want read-only nfs-mounted /usr partitions.

I'd recommend reading the FSSTND and FHS specs.

Cheers,

 - Jim

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