An Update Package Apparently Breaks Python (My Bad!)

[Tom Browder]

Several of my FC 1 packages have been broken since I used yum to
update it last week.

I would get a python traceback and, eventually, I found the problem.
A missing symbol in libxml2.so.  I had done a local upgrade of libxml2
before I upgraded to FC 1 so the local lib took precedence even though
it had become outdated, hence the missing symbol.

Lessons learned:

  -Prefer either rpms OR manual updates, not both (tip of the hat to
Scott Meyers)

  -If you use manual upgrades, watch when upgrading a distribution
since the rpm database will probably be in error (is there a way to
manually modify it?).

I prefer to use the rpm method but sometimes still need to upgrade
packages that don't intially have a binary rpm.  So I guess I need to
learn how to do my own rpms.  Does anyone have a preference for which
of the two rpm books are out there?

Thanks.

Tom Browder