./configure command

[Mike McCarty]

Ralf Corsepius wrote:
> On Tue, 2006-04-04 at 12:15 -0500, Mike McCarty wrote:
> 
>>Boris Glawe wrote:
>>
>>>Joao Paulo Pires wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hi Cameron,
>>>>Thanks for your answer.
>>>>I'm a end user for FC4. The real problem I have is each time I want 
>>>>try some program from CDs ou DVDs from magazines, they advise to 
>>>>install with './configure' and 'make install'. Is there any other 
>>>>possibility?
>>>>TIA, Joao.
>>>>_
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Never do this, though it is recommended. With the final comman "make 
>>
>>"Never" is a very big word. There are quite a few bits of software
>>which are not provided via RPMs.
> 
> Then package them as RPMs or find ways to make installing them
> sufficiently safe not to corrupt your installation.

Whom are you instructing to do this? The hapless OP? He wants
help finding a toolset, and instead of helping him find it,
you are telling him he should find an RPM which may or may
not exist. Furthermore, he may already have looked for one,
or he may know via other means that none exists.

>>>install" you might probably overwrite existing files which are neede by 
>>>other applications.
>>
>>Q: What is there about RPM which guarantees that this won't happen?
>>A: Nothing.
> 
> Wrong. Unless doing something utterly stupid, in comparison to
> "configure && make install", building RPMs is safe.

If you are going to respond, at least respond to what I wrote.
There is nothing which prevents ./configure + make install
from overwriting any file (when install is done as root,
of course). There is also nothing which prevents an RPM
from containing a file which would overwrite any file on
the system. RPM is simply a means for putting the files
into a single archive, like gzip, and checking some
dependencies. If a mistake is made in the RPM, or if
the RPM is built by someone with malicious tendencies,
then there is nothing about RPM which will protect.

>>> From now on you can at any time run commands like
>>>
>>>yum install xine*
>>>
>>>which will install all packages for the xine videoplayer.
>>
>>Please tell me where I can get a copy of GCC built as a
>>cross-compiler for my new-fangled GRZ-BLATT 923 microcontroller
>>available as a RPM.
> 
> _Your_ new one? Then build an rpm from it.

You sure are handy at doling out work to other people,
instead of helping people solve their problems.

The guy needed to find the development toolset so he
could build something. In effect, you told him to go
back to the developer and insist that the developer
create an RPM.

If I were building my own package for my own use, I
surely wouldn't put it into an RPM. In fact, I do build
my own packages for my own use, and I don't put them
into RPMs.

Mike
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