64 bit and installing libraries.

[Paul F. Johnson]

Hi,

> > Is there any harm in this or a way to prevent the libs being placed in
> > the /lib as opposed to /lib64 directories automagically?
> 
> If the software uses autoconf, the --libdir parameter to the configure 
> script will specify where shared libraries should be installed.

Thanks.

> You should always be installing software with rpm.  If the software doesn't 
> have a specfile, write on yourself.  If you don't know how to write rpm 
> specfiles, learn it.

What? Are you serious? I've been compiling code on various Linux boxes
for years now and very rarely do I use rpms. Simple reasons are that I
don't want optimisation for i386 (when I used i386) and that a lot of
the time, code I compile doesn't have an RPM (I have a patched version
of wxWidgets 2.6.2 - the patch isn't in the main branch yet [it has been
submitted] and I have a specific need for it)

I know how to write spec files.

> Otherwise you:
> 
> • Maybe accidentally overwriting files installed by other packages

Correct. I've done that with Cairo which is required for Mono.

> • Have nothing that would prevent an ordinary upgrade of other system 
> packages removing critical files required by your manually-installed 
> software, without notice.  rpm cannot track required dependencies by 
> software that you did not install with rpm.

Correct. However, if I know something is available in rpm, I tend to use
it (saves time). If I inadvertently break something, fine - I'll fix it.

TTFN

Paul
-- 
"Logic, my dear Zoe, is merely the ability to be wrong with authority" -
Dr Who