I've switched from TC 4.0-m4 to TC 4.0-m5 in minutes using my RPMs build
process. I've only adapted my spec file (the file which tell how to build the
binary package from sources, patches...)
Since I allready many of the RPM needed by tomcat (from jakarta.apache.org and
xml.apache.org), I have now an easy to reproduce schema.
I know that RPM is only for Unix world (and not only Linux). It help you be
sure what you need and how to industrialize projects build.
May be an issue.
I'll tell you more tomorrow and also propose for release RPM to be stored at
apache site next to src and bin.
For now are ready to use :
ant 1.1/1.2
regexp 1.1/1.2
oro 2.0.1
tomcat 3.2, tomcat 3.3, tomcat 4.0
cocoon
xalan-c
xalan-j
xerces-c
xerces-j
And many others (many apache modules).
It will help RPM users to have en easy way to install binaries.
Even more a RPM build process is a reproductible process.
Could be nice to know how many users have access to rpm tool on their
system (All Linux Redhat/Suse/Mandrake and derived have them build-in).
I didn't know for AIX, HPUX, Solaris but it must be available. For Windows
users it's another story and a tool à la InstallShield seems more well suite
for this OS family.
Just to give an idea :
Some huge project like tomcat goes in /var/ (ie: /var/tomcat/ & /var/tomcat4/)
Others like xerces, xalan which could be seens as standard libraries goes
in /usr/share/java/.
When you install a xerces-j RPM, xerces.jar goes to /usr/share/java/.
When you install jakarta.regexp 1.2, jakarta-regexp-1.2.jar also goes
in /usr/share/java/ but I'll also make a symlink between jakarta-regexp-1.2.jar
and jakarta-regexp.jar (via ln -s /usr/share/java/jakarta-regexp-
1.2.jar /usr/share/java/jakarta-regexp.jar)
These scheme follow the Debian recommandation and more generally fit well on
Unix systems.
Just my 2cts...
