Re: Installing software without a package manager

["Bryan J. Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>]

Steven Pritchard <steve@silug.org> wrote:
> I think you missed my point.

Actually, I didn't.

> Installing *any* software without using your distribution's
> package management system is a Bad Idea.

And I agree with you.

Unfortunately, nVidia is providing software that is not 100%
redistributable.  At the same time, it needs to target many
distributions.

Now I'd love it if their installer packaged up a RPM, Deb, etc... of
its software in real-time from the script and installed it that way. 
And I (among others) have made that suggestion many times to no
avail.

> Once you've installed something, nvidia drivers, perl modules
> straight from CPAN, anything using autopackage, whatever, you've
> compromised the integrity of your system.

Agreed, because it makes enterprise configuration management very
difficult.

[ Although I would argue that the Perl-CPAN issue, among other
development (and not so much end-user) "systems" of code like Java,
Python, etc..., could be addressed far better with something like
Gentoo's portage.  And a few RPM/Deb systems out there are starting
to agree with that, by using such a distribution tool _only_ for
such, self-contained development needs. ]

> Sooner or later, you *will* have problems as a result.

Which is why I repackage the nVidia driver/GLX into a RPM when I need
to roll it out en masse.

> Package managers are one of the things that make modern Linux (and
> some other Unix) systems so wonderfully managable.  In this case, I
> also think it is a lot easier to install the nvidia stuff from
> rpm.livna.org instead of straight from nvidia.com, but that's just
> a bonus...

I've had so many issues with the Livna.ORG packages that I just do it
directly myself.  Plus I don't have to wait on them.



-- 
Bryan J. Smith     Professional, Technical Annoyance
b.j.smith@ieee.org      http://thebs413.blogspot.com
----------------------------------------------------
*** Speed doesn't kill, difference in speed does ***

-
To unsubscribe, send email to majordomo@silug.org with
"unsubscribe silug-discuss" in the body.