Installing Software / Access

SavoTU · 05-26-2007, 01:13 PM

I have just reinstalled Slackware again after messing a few things up this time i want to get it all right and the things that have been bothering me the most are where to install software and how to give my user account a little more access.

If im on the right track a good place to compile and install all of my software would be /usr/local

This is where my next problem comes in. Do i have to login as root to be able to install everything as i have no write access here or am i missing something?

Thanks for any info

Sav

acid_kewpie · 05-26-2007, 01:18 PM

yes, you need to be root... that's the point of it existing. and in general *IF* you do wish to compile your own software, you're best just to let it use the programs defaults, typically /usr/local/bin etc...

SavoTU · 05-26-2007, 01:28 PM

Its not that i wish to its a lot to do with the fact i have to.

I have been missing something then as i was refereing to the actual building of the program I thought that this dir would contain parts of the program guess not so can i remove this folder?

And if the program doesnt need installing just copy it over with root.

Thanks

Sav

XavierP · 05-26-2007, 02:32 PM

Do not remove /usr/local - it's an integral part of your system. The message from Acid is that if you let the program install itself as per it's own setup, it will install to the correct places. Unless you have a very good reason to do so, installing a program elsewhere is not a good thing. If you do that and another program relies on it you cannot guarantee that the newer program will work.

SavoTU · 05-27-2007, 09:03 AM

Sorry i didnt mean to remove usr/local

What i was getting at was should i create a dir in my /home folder say software build/my new app compile and build it there. Would it then be safe to remove this dir (my new app)? or will there be files in there that are needed?

Sav

XavierP · 05-27-2007, 11:38 AM

I can't see what you would gain by doing that. If you build the whole thing under your user account in ~ you will have a program only usable by your user. If you then move it, you will have to su to root to do that. You are building in extra steps. I'd suggest just doing the install as normal.

jay73 · 05-27-2007, 12:22 PM

In my experience, most software can safely be built in your home directory - there usually is a script that will move the binaries into the right directories for you. When all is properly set up, the original source file can simply be dumped. Of course, when an application requires manual installation, that is something different. In that case you do need to move it to the suggested directory - but then again, most of such apps don't need to be moved at all and they'll run from wherever they are.