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(Docs) Installing into `/usr` is a violation of HFS

Open HiPhish opened this issue 7 months ago • 3 comments

The manual instructs users to add --prefix /usr to their meson setup calls. However, /usr is meant to be used by the distro maintainers; /usr/local is meant for locally installed packages.

The /usr/local hierarchy is for use by the system administrator when installing software locally. It needs to be safe from being overwritten when the system software is updated. It may be used for programs and data that are shareable amongst a group of hosts, but not found in /usr.

Locally installed software must be placed within /usr/local rather than /usr unless it is being installed to replace or upgrade software in /usr.

https://refspecs.linuxfoundation.org/FHS_3.0/fhs/ch04s09.html

I have opened an issue first instead of a PR because I would like to know if there is a specific reason why you have chosen /usr instead. If there is a technical reason I think it should be mentioned in the manual installation instructions.

HiPhish avatar May 01 '25 11:05 HiPhish

I added it because it caused some confusion in the past for users when switching to downstream packages. A PR would be appreciated, maybe with a note mentioning the possible usage of the prefix flag

Aylur avatar May 05 '25 16:05 Aylur

I added it because it caused some confusion in the past for users when switching to downstream packages.

Do you mean packages from distros? I don't understand how switching from a manually compiled package to a system package would cause problems. The only problem I know of is the one I had in #348 because of how Girepository works, but that can be mentioned in a side note.

A PR would be appreciated, maybe with a note mentioning the possible usage of the prefix flag

I can submit a PR. What would you want it say?

HiPhish avatar May 05 '25 16:05 HiPhish

It caused confusion for users that compiled it themselves and installed it to /usr/local and then later also installed another version from a package source, because the older version took precedence.

maybe with a note

nevermind, the docs will need an overhaul anyway, because of https://github.com/Aylur/ags/pull/685, we can just remove the mention of the --prefix flag, We should expect users compiling from source to know where they install it to

Aylur avatar May 12 '25 23:05 Aylur