Checking /usr/local/ before upgrading

[Fergal Daly]

On 27/10/2007, Reinhard Tartler <siretart at ubuntu.com> wrote:
> Vincenzo Ciancia <ciancia at di.unipi.it> writes:
>
> > Similar issues might happen if one has something in /usr/local/bin, so
> > wouldn't it be wise to ask, in the upgrade program, if user wants to
> > temporarily rename /usr/local to /usr/local.upgraded during upgrade, so
> > things are safer?
>
> Isn't your email/request rather a pretty good example why installing
> software to /usr/local is a bad idea wrt to system upgrades?
>
> I'd really suggest to install your special libraries, local software
> etc. either to /usr/local/$PACKAGE or /srv/local/$PACKAGE or somewhere
> else. You can use environment variables or rpath to make them work.

So when should anything go in /usr/local?

http://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-opersys.html#s-sysvinit

contains this paragraph

"However, because /usr/local and its contents are for exclusive use of
the local administrator, a package must not rely on the presence or
absence of files or directories in /usr/local for normal operation."

You can find another thread on this subject (started by me) here

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel-discuss/2007-May/000857.html

Basically if the system tools are going to include /usr/local in their
bin and library search paths then /usr/local is pointless. Anything
that you put in there must have identical behaviour to the /usr
version, but why would you install it if it's behaviour wasn't
different?

F

> --
> Gruesse/greetings,
> Reinhard Tartler, KeyID 945348A4
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