compiling from source vs. binary packages

oldi · 06-04-2004, 08:26 AM

Can someone explain the benefits for each option, please? I know that binary packages are easer and quicker to use than compiling from source, or that compiling from source can be more secure, but can anyone give more information about the positive and negative for each option? And finally what do most people use?

thanks

chii-chan · 06-04-2004, 08:59 AM

Take a look at this:

http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gnome.../msg01003.html

Personally I prefer binary package; it is easy to install and profesionally compiled with common options.

For compiling for source, I compile program from source when I want to enable some options not covered by precompiled/binary installation, when the precompiled file is not available, and also to get experience on compiling and enjoy looking at those moving lines

.

lyceum · 06-04-2004, 10:17 AM

i personally use binaries whenever they are available for my architecture. i will however compile from source whenever i run into the case (quite often) that an i386 is available in binary, but not an i686. i know that the i386 should work just fine on my system, but there is good reason to think that an i686 compile would work better on an i686 system.

lyceum · 06-04-2004, 10:19 AM

and i like the moving lines.

hamish · 06-04-2004, 10:54 AM

I use Gentoo - it is all source.

Sources are compiled specifically for your system (plus Gentoo has the USE command). By compiling specifically for your system it ends up making your system faster.

Hamish