Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!crdgw1!barnett From: barnett@grymoire.crd.ge.com (Bruce Barnett) Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: comp.unix.admin.large Message-ID: Date: 28 Dec 90 12:22:11 GMT References: <609@synopsys.COM> Sender: news@crdgw1.crd.ge.com Reply-To: barnett@crdgw1.ge.com Followup-To: comp.unix.admin Organization: GE Corp. R & D, Schenectady, NY Lines: 41 In-reply-to: pcg@cs.aber.ac.uk's message of 27 Dec 90 19:10:00 GMT With everyone talking about /usr/local, I thought I would throw in my 2 cents. We support several different architectures, and having a unique /usr/local isn't always the most efficient way to organize disk space. Some files can be shared across architectures, others can't. The ones that can be shared are easier to maintain when they are only in one location. We use /usr/local for workgroup specific additions, changes, in addition to a large /common area - used throughout the center. Some applications put multiple architectures in one place, others use two seperate places. Our organization: /common/all - architecture independant or multiple architecture installations, includes: /common/all/bin - for shell/perl scripts /common/all/lib - ASCII data used by all architectures. /common/all/emacs - for common emacs lisp and info files /common/all/frame - for sun3 and sun4 binaries of framemaker We also have a /common/`arch` directory for each popular architecture: /common/sun3, /common/sun4, /common/vax, etc. This way people can put /common/`arch`/bin and /common/all/bin in their searchpath, in addition to /usr/local - if they want to. As someone who has installed hundreds of programs, this organization works out fine. In some cases when it is not clear where a file should be installed (i.e. in /common/all/lib or /common/sun4/lib, I just use the architecture specific directory with the knowledge that I might have a few redundant files in /common/sun3/lib and /common/sun4/lib Having both directories mounted makes it easier to see if there are common files in both architectures.link - either hard or symbolic - can help eliminate duplicated files. -- Bruce G. Barnett barnett@crd.ge.com uunet!crdgw1!barnett