RedHat, Fedora future?

[Robin Laing]

Bill Nottingham wrote:
> Robin Laing (Robin.Laing at drdc-rddc.gc.ca) said: 
> 
>>[quote]
>>/opt : Add-on application software packages
>>Purpose
>>
>>/opt is reserved for the installation of add-on application software 
>>packages.
>>
>>
>>From the standards it is clear that Fedora is installing OpenOffice 
>>and Mozilla in the wrong directories.  I have not had a chance to 
>>check on a totally Fedora machine about various application ~/ config 
>>files.
> 
> 
> Applications shipped with the OS (Mozilla, OpenOffice) are by
> definition not add-ons.
> 
> Bill

This is one thing that I thought of but in my mind, I see that the 
programs are add-ons to the OS.  Following this train of thought, any 
application that is installed later should install in /opt correct? 
If I install a bare-bones Fedora without apps, then add OpenOffice 
later, it becomes an add-on as it was added later.  When does an 
application move from being part of the OS install to being an add-on?

This makes me think or the investigations of Microsoft including IE 
and WMP and saying that it is part of the OS.

If you look at the description of in the standards it for /usr/lib it 
states "... that are not intended to be executed directly by users or 
shell scripts."  This contradicts their own statement about putting 
applications in a subdirectory, go figure.

I still look at the aspect of compatibility between different distros 
and how the binaries are provided by the software writers being a 
problem to many new users or those that must work with different 
distros.  I have seen the frustration with new users reading 
documentation that isn't written for RH distros and not finding the files.

I always think of standards as being a way to ensure no one has to 
write software or code to a specific system.  I thought of this on the 
way to work this morning.  I look at an installation of an ad don or 
application from a third party and where it should be located.  Now if 
the support or README for the application states that you use 
/opt/application/templates as a directory but the distro installs it 
in another directory then the administrator has to ensure that it does 
get installed in the correct directory.

In the past I have created simlinks to /opt/application for 
compatibility for binaries and other applications that required them 
to ensure that they would work.  Also to ensure that configuration 
files with links in the /home directories could be shared between distros.

I read this slashdot article and it is a similar discussion about the 
differences between distros.

Which Style Init Scripts Do You Prefer?
http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/02/05/2331259&mode=thread&tid=126&tid=130&tid=156&tid=185&tid=190

People have personal preferences.  I really liked RH after moving from 
Slackware back in 95.

I am going to join the FHS discussion list as I feel that this is an 
interesting thought.

Thanks for the in site.

-- 
Robin Laing