Re: Re: User Installable Software FHS

On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 11:36:40 +1000 John Newbigin wrote:

| "However, these tools require root privilege in order to use them. This 
| is quite a contrast from Windows or Mac OS where anyone with admin 
| privileges can install software easily on the system."
| 
| How is the Windows Administrator different from the UNIX root?

On Win 2000 at least, users can be given "admin" privileges.
This allows them to install software (that only they can see --
not for all users).

| My 2c on this issue are:
| - any software to be used by all users needs to be installed by root. 
| If root trusts the software then all the users should be able to
| - if a single user wants some software, they can install it into ~/bin 
| and adjust their path as they see fit
| - if 2 users want to share some software, put them in a group and give 
| them a directory where they can put the files
| 
| At no time should user A be able to change what might be in user B's 
| path (unless they have chosen to trust each other and are in a common 
| group).  Each user will still construct their path in the appropriate order.
| 
| I am not sure that RPM can help for users (except for perhaps rpm2cpio).
| 
| John.
| 
| Michael A. Peters wrote:
| 
| > New to list, I'm sure this topic has been discussed before.
| > I've put together a small article discussing the issue of standard users
| > being able to install software on the system that is available for all
| > users, without having to be root to do so.
| > 
| > This I think is critical for acceptance of LOTD but also has benefits in
| > other areas too.
| > 
| > The article is at http://mpeters.us/linux/software.php
| > 
| > I am seeking comments on it.
| > 
| > Since this would (i think) require at least a small modification to how
| > rpm works, I'm CCing the rpm list as well.
| > 
| > So tear it apart and call it stupid, or recommend changes, or whatever.
| > Thanks.


--
~Randy
"We have met the enemy and he is us."  -- Pogo (by Walt Kelly)
(Again.  Sometimes I think ln -s /usr/src/linux/.config .signature)