I'd like to put forward a few ideas for the userland application
install:
Currently, using a single home directory to access multiple
architectures is complicated by a number of factors:
- operating system (Solaris, Linux, HP-UX, etc.)
- Different revisions of operating system (Solaris 8-10, etc.)
- cpu architecture (sparc vs x86)
- word size (32 vs. 64 bit)
- application version (some apps aren't available for all systems)
Historically, I've fixed this as an administrator by using the
automounter and symbolic links:
vim -> vim-6.4 (in the user's path)
In automount map:
vim-6.4: server:/export/apps/&/${CPU}/${OSNAME}${OSREL}
While this works, I think only the largest sites will have
implemented something similar.
What I'd like to see would be the ability to install vim at a user-
level into my home directory and have my home directory work
transparently on multiple architectures.
I think it could work if it can be designed properly up front:
Use the above information when storing the packages:
$PATH += $HOME/applications/`uname -s`/`uname -r`/`mach`/bin
$MANPATH += $HOME/applications/`unaem -s`/`uname -r`/`mach`/man
$LD_LIBRARY_PATH += ...
etc.
The package file could exist anywhere appropriate, perhaps
$HOME/.packages. It may also be practical to move applications
to .applications.
If the above could be implemented, it would address most of the above
issues.
It still wouldn't address multiple versions of an application, but
that may no longer be necessary if the different versions are
required only for different architectures.
I'd personally like to be able to install gnu find (it supports case-
insensitive searching) and vim for all architectures in my home
directory, and using something like the above would allow me to
install packages into my home directory for multiple architectures
without a lot of complexity.
The ability to track and update these packages would be a very
helpful situation from a user perspective.
-----
Gregory Shaw, IT Architect
Phone: (303) 673-8273 Fax: (303) 673-8273
ITCTO Group, Sun Microsystems Inc.
1 StorageTek Drive MS 4382 greg.shaw at sun.com (work)
Louisville, CO 80028-4382 shaw at fmsoft.com (home)
"When Microsoft writes an application for Linux, I've Won." - Linus
Torvalds
