Backing up whole system

[Craig White]

On Sat, 2009-05-09 at 19:32 -0400, Gene Heskett wrote:
> >
> >You already stated the answer...you don't know what you're doing when it
> >comes to rpm. Don't glorify your lack of knowledge with the fact that
> >you're using some alpha version. The simple fact is that Fedora, like
> >all Red Hat systems, like virtually all Linux distributions has a
> >package management system and it doesn't make sense for you to encourage
> >others to use source tarballs because you can't possibly help them with
> >package management.
> >
> >Craig
> 
> I wasn't trying to 'glorify' my lack of knowledge, I readily admit it cuz 
> everytime I get rpm figured out so it will build from a src package, the API 
> changes with the next version of this hat.
> 
> However, this conversation demos that everyone has their own favorite sacred 
> cow.  Yumex/yum/rpm is a good tool indeed when it works.  Emphasis on "when it 
> works", which since f2's foibles, seems to be worked out pretty well now days.  
> I presume the acid test would be for me to install your 2.6.0p2 and see if it 
> works tonight, using my existing configuration.
----
I don't know anything about F2 "foible's" but rpm packaging has been
alive and well ever since I started with Red Hat Linux which was version
5.0 - it has always worked for me save for the vast amounts I don't know
about building rpm packages. Even with this lack of knowledge, I have
been able to build rpm's either from rebuilding from source rpms, build
with newer versions of source tarballs, build kernel modules and
kernels. At no time have I ever seen a Red Hat or Fedora suggestion to
not use rpm and install from source tarballs instead because of rpm
brokenness or "foibles."

If it puts the files in the same places (and for the life of me, I don't
understand why would you have tarball installations install anywhere
other than /usr/local) and doesn't trash your configuration files and
creates users/groups, properly assigns privileges and runs whatever
scripts post-install you need, it will work. The problem is never rpm
packaging itself but the arguments that build the packages, the method
of building the packages (shouldn't be done as root), and the scripts
which are executed pre/post installation.

Blaming rpm is ridiculous. Not wanting to take the time to learn how to
successfully package something is understandable. It does take an
investment in time & energy. Documentation is lacking. Whether you
succeed or not in successfully building amanda rpm's will be determined
by your desire to get it done and nothing else. We have had this
discussion before. I am amused that you won't simply admit that you
aren't willing to invest your time learning how to build rpms and
instead cast about looking for excuses why it won't work...the FC2
"foibles" is a new one.

My objection in this thread was your recommendation to the OP that he
install from source tarballs when amanda is available via pre-built rpm
packages in fedora already as if it is a reasonable suggestion that
others follow your footsteps. It was not a reasonable suggestion.

Craig


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