Very Computer

OK, you SYS5.4 fans and, I'm told, HP-UX 10.0. Help me settle a
very hot topic.

What the heck is /opt _REALLY_ for?
My understanding is that it is for purchased third party software
that was put together using the packaging facility under SYS5.4.
I suppose that other non-packaged software could be put there however.
What about database software, /opt/oracle?

Does the old standy of /usr/local now take a backseat? Is ite,now /opt/
(gnu for the Free Software foundation)

There have been more than a few heated discussion about the use of
the directory and so called "company standards". Some seem to think
that they know exactly what it's purpose is for but its not
clear to me. Is there an "official" explanation for its existance or
is it mostly subjective?

Any input appreciated.

Gary Barnette

...<snip>...

Quote:> What the heck is /opt _REALLY_ for?

/opt is merely a filesystem. By default most applications which use
pkgadd have /opt as a basedir. Reference "man -s 1M pkgadd" and
"man -s 4 admin". You can change the default behavior by editng the
file /var/sadm/install/admin/default changing "basedir=default" to
"basedir=ask".

Quote:> What about database software, /opt/oracle?

You could place oracle in any filesystem you choose. Oracle likes to
refer to its home directory as ~oracle given that it creates an oracle
account.

Quote:>Is ite,now /opt/ (gnu for the Free Software foundation)

GNU packages can be installed anywhere your heart desires.

Quote:> There have been more than a few heated discussion about the use of
> the directory and so called "company standards". Some seem to think
> that they know exactly what it's purpose is for but its not
> clear to me. Is there an "official" explanation for its existance or
> is it mostly subjective?

I would not let company standards get in the way the of KISS standard,
Keep It Simple Stupid. Hal Stern's O'Reilly NFS book does a good job
explaining the set up of "switch panels" and other filesystem structures.

Regards,

On 29 Mar 1995 17:21:14 GMT Gary Barnette pontificated:

Quote:> OK, you SYS5.4 fans and, I'm told, HP-UX 10.0. Help me settle a
> very hot topic.
> What the heck is /opt _REALLY_ for?
> My understanding is that it is for purchased third party software
> that was put together using the packaging facility under SYS5.4.
> I suppose that other non-packaged software could be put there however.
> What about database software, /opt/oracle?

Oh, fine. We've been using it locally on HP-UX 9 and SGI systems for
OPTical disk drives or OPTical jukeboxes.  Note to OSF, Unix Inc, HP,
SG, etc.; /opt is ALREADY in use, pick another name.  How  about /sfw,
or /com, or maybe just /$$$.

--
Rick Venable                  =====\     |=|    "Eschew Obfuscation"
FDA/CBER Biophysics Lab       |____/     |=|
Bethesda, MD  U.S.A.          |   \  /   |=|  / Not an official statement \