OpenOffice Update RPM vs. Installer (was Re: OpenOffice upgrade fails - bad gpg signature)

[James Wilkinson]

James Mckenzie wrote:
> Also, if I remember correctly, OO wants to install to /opt/bin and the
> default for FC2 is /usr/bin or /usr/lib.  

David Cary Hart replied:
> The installer allows you to install to the directory of your choice.

But it might not be a good idea to install it into /usr/bin or /usr/lib.

The FHS (Linux Filesystem Hierarchy Standard) says:
    Locally installed software must be placed within /usr/local rather
    than /usr unless it is being installed to replace or upgrade
    software in /usr. 
and comments:
    Software placed in / or /usr may be overwritten by system upgrades
    (though we recommend that distributions do not overwrite data in
    /etc under these circumstances). For this reason, local software
    must not be placed outside of /usr/local without good reason.

However, the discussion under /opt makes it clear that /opt is also an
acceptable place for software to be installed:
    Distributions may install software in /opt, but must not modify or
    delete software installed by the local system administrator without
    the assent of the local system administrator.
and, in fact, Fedora and Red Hat don't put anything in /opt by default.

(Of course, the situation is different when installing RPM software:
since RPM will handle clashes with other RPM packages, RPMs can safely
put files in /usr/bin or /usr/lib. As far back as I can remember[1], the
Red Hat rule has been /usr/whatever for RPM files, /usr/local for
anything else).

James.

[1] which for me was RH 5.0. For example, see the end of
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-6.1-Manual/ref-guide/ch-sysadmin.html

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