Re: tlug: rpms

["Thomas O'Dowd" <tom@example.com>]

On Wed, May 31, 2000 at 09:35:33PM -0700, Scott M. Stone wrote:
> On Thu, 1 Jun 2000, Chris Sekiya wrote:
> 
> > On Thu, Jun 01, 2000 at 09:33:08AM +0900, Thomas O'Dowd wrote:
> > 
> > > I think anyone in TLUG will probably want to download the rpms straight
> > > and go for the manual install.
> > 
> > To hell with that.
> > 
> > * Thou shalt not install precompiled binaries.
> > * RPM != Linux
> > * RPM != manual install, for that matter.
> 
> I concur, with one caveat - it's probably ok for most people to download
> the .src.rpm and do an rpm --rebuild on YOUR box, so you know that
> everything is compiled and linked against your libraries with your
> compiler and such.  Doesn't hurt to read through the .spec file as well
> before doing so and checking things out.  You should probably also edit
> the Release field and change it from what it is now to what it is now plus
> your initials (ie, '2' becomes '2sms' for me).  That way you can tell by
> querying the RPM database later which RPMs you personally broke and which
> ones you can blame the distribution vendor for :)

I don't really agree with this. To a person who wants to hack around on their
OS, learn all about it, perhaps write some code, configure procmail, uses vi
or emacs or ex instead of notepad, who builds their own machines and tinkers
with source code, yes, you won't need to go near rpms.

However rpms are making linux available to a wider audience (helixcode has
taken it to the next level by putting a wrapper around package techniques,
have a look at their updater). Some people believe it or not, want to use
the productivity side of the OS (yes we're getting there), the suite of tools
mostly found on the desktop, apps like wordpros, spreadsheets, money progs,
graphics programs, etc. some perhaps want to run a small SOHO using linux.
Most of these people aren't tinkerers, they don't want to know how things
work, would die of fright if they had to compile something or look at a 
configuration file. gnome, kde, package management programs like rpm are all
making it more and more possible for people like these to use linux instead
of ms.

rpms != manual install, that's right, but if you have seen the helixcode
update program in action, then using the rpm command is more of a manual
install then you might think :-)

Perhaps someday, rpms or a newer technology will be good enough for the 
geeks too.

Cheers,

Tom.
-- 
Thomas O'Dowd
tom@example.com
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