Best directory to download and install from

psyklops · 08-22-2003, 11:25 PM

What would be the two best directories to download and install to? One for root and the other for the local user?

Should I install from /home/localuser or /usr/local?

Which is best for root and which is best for the local user?

jqcaducifer · 08-23-2003, 12:19 AM

Install from /home/user, since the installed program most of the time ends up in /usr/local, and you don't want 2 similarily looking folders. And don't install from root, only su when doing make install. Installing while root really messes with the file permissions of installed files (especially when extracting source from tar).

contrasutra · 08-23-2003, 12:30 AM

Also, running "./configure" and "make" as root is a security risk. If someone sneaks a trojan into the script, you can have problems.

Its generally a good idea to only become root when its absoultley necessary.

For install location, Id just leave it as the default (usually /usr/local) unless you are having problems.

Some people like to install big self contained packages (GNOME,KDE, Mozilla) in /opt/ though.

psyklops · 08-23-2003, 01:01 AM

Thanks guys!