[TriLUG] question about FHS

[Robert Dale]

On Sun, 22 Dec 2002, Greg Cox wrote:

> > How do you tell the difference between when software should be
> > installed into /opt vs. /usr/local ? Is there a rule of thumb ?
> 
> There's no hard/fast rule.  The convention I've always gone by is: if I
> have to compile it, it goes in /usr/local (e.g. tinyfugue, messagewall);
> if it comes as a package (e.g.  oracle, netscape (before it came bundled
> with the distro)) that sits neatly in one directory, it goes in /opt.

That's basically it.

Although, I'm a little confused by this entry in /usr/local:

    It may be used for programs and data that are shareable amongst
    a group of hosts, but not found in /usr.

AFAIK, it used to be that /usr/local was for apps _local_ and hence for
that particular machine.  It wasn't meant to be shared.  Having a
"remote local" doesn't make much sense. :)

If you're going to have a bunch of machines sharing the same resources, 
then you might as well make a proper package and stick it in /usr.

-- 
Robert Dale