Ubuntu has a drupal6 package, and drupal.org provides source. But following the drupal.org instructions does not do anywhere near the same as what the Ubuntu package does. The package puts files in the system. The drupal.org steps put files in your web site root. Anyone know what is going on with that?

Tell me the difference in where the packaging puts the files.

I would say go the Ubuntu way. The Drupal package is probably aimed at RedHat.

Completely and totally different. Ubuntu puts things in /etc and /usr. Follow the drupal.org instructions and you put things in the web site area.

I'm used to compiling C programs from source and getting roughly the equivalent as a package would install for whatever system (Debian/Ubuntu or Centos/Fedora/Redhat or Slackware or even the BSDs). But Drupal isn't a "source to compile". Apparently it's a "kit to drop in".

It seems to be rather non-specific. They state "UNIX/Linux" for some steps and Windows for others. With IIS+PHP it can presumably run on Windows as-is (not that I would do such a thing).

The instructions in the INSTALL.txt file seem pretty clear. WRT where put the extracted folder, it suggests
"that directory" means the one you extract from the tarball.
ciao,
jdk

Yes. You are describing the extraction method. But WHY should one use this method in place of installing the Ubuntu package (for an Ubuntu system)?

I never used Drupal but I thought it was just a php portal? If that's the case you should be able to simply drop it in your web folder and run the setup.php or w/e via web.

It depends on what distro and what flavour you're using. I use this method for TBird because Debian Testing lags a bit behind the latest version; ditto for Openoffice. I also use this method for Coccinella and several other programs that don't have Debian packages.
ciao,
jdk