On Tue, 13 Feb 2001, Carl Wilhelm Soderstrom wrote: > > 1) If I can find source, I compile from that rather than using an RPM > > usually. It keeps my system generally cleaner. From source I can go one > > of two directions: > > A) If I'm lazy, or just want to test something, and/or it doesn't need > > to be in the same location as packaged things, I'll just throw it in > > /usr/local/stow/<packagename> and stow it. > sounds like a reasonable option for stuff you don't update much. > or is it good for testing new versions of stuff? make a separate > directory under /usr/local/stow for each new version? It's not much harder than updating regularly using RPMs. You could easily use it to test new versions, using a different directory for each version, removing the old ones as desired. I've done this a good bit actually, except I usually un-stow and remove the install, then install and stow the new version. > > 2) If you want to install from RPM, I would recommend using alien. It > > does a fairly clean job of things, and you can always check the .deb it > > generates before you install it. I believe there's also a way to tweak > > the control scripts before you actually build the package. > how well does it deal with apt-get upgrades? I would hope that by > using this method; the version I install wouldn't be overwritten by > something that apt grabbed (unless there indeed was a newer version on the > debian mirrors). The generated packages should be versioned just like any other package, so APT will only overwrite your alien'd package if there is really a newer (upstream) version. The only time you'd have to put it on hold is if you were compiling a custom package of the same or lesser upstream version than what's in Debian. Pacem in Terris / Mir / Shanti / Salaam / Heiwa Kevin R. Bullock