I'm running Ximian XD2 on RedHat 9 using RedCarpet/Opencarpet for package management.
I'm attempting to install gDesklets with rpm packages from various sources. After much trial and error, I have narrowed it down to:

Installing: python-gnome, python-gtk, python-numeric
Upgrading: python, pyorbit

The install fails with pyorbit, indicating that it needs [any] libcrypto.so.0.9.6 and libssl.so.0.9.6
These libraries are provided by the Openssl package; however, my installed version indicates that I have libcrypto and libssl 0.9.7a

I'm guessing that since these rpms are not specifically for RH9 that pyorbit is looking in the wrong place.

Questions:
1. How do I know where these rpms are looking for their dependencies? and
2. How do I tweak them to look in the correct place??

In a related matter, I was told that I should install programs that I compile from source into my /opt directory because they have a tendency to break package management.

Questions:
3. (In general) will I need to change any other paths than the --prefix? (i.e. will it find it's dependencies OK?)
4. Do you agree/disagree with the need to install source compiled programs into /opt on an rpm based distro?

-Kevin
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Please be patient with me. I'm still climbing the learning curve

Well, about /opt, is a good idea, but using a windows example, it would be like installing under ProgramFiles and then under ProgramFiles2.... secure but can generate strange duplicities.

I don't think dependencies have nothing to do with which --prefix you use for compiling.

For the pyorbit matter, first I'dd make a soft link for libssl 0.9.6 with libssl 0.9.7a so we cheat the system (not guaranteed) " cd directory_where_libssl_lives ; ln -s libssl 0.9.7a libssl 0.9.6" then I'll try pyorbit again and if still get nothing, I'd try installing with rpm -i XXXXXXXXX --nodeps