use of /usr/local by packages

Derek Broughton news at pointerstop.ca
Wed Aug 24 18:41:54 UTC 2005


Michael J. Lynch wrote:

> Derek Broughton wrote:
>> Alvin Thompson wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>>i've noticed that several packages in the distribution place things
>>>under /usr/local. i'm sure there are more, but these are a few i've run
>>>across:
>>>
>>>eclipse (plugins)
>>>python 2.4 (site packages)
>>>whatever handles firmware
>>>the font system (caches)
>>>
>>>i always thought it was a major _faux pas_ for a distribution to place
>> 
>> 
>> yes.
>> 
>> However, I have no python or font files under /usr/local (I don't have
>> eclipse, or anything firmware related, so I can't say that they don't use
>> it), so I'm not sure you can validly complain that it was Ubuntu packages
>> that did it.
> 
> Quoting from the Debian Policy Manual
...
> However, the package may create empty directories below /usr/local
> so that the system administrator knows where to place site-specific
> files.  These directories should be removed on package removal if
> they are empty."

Yes, and I have empty _directories_, and I'm guessing that's all Alvin has.
-- 
derek





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