"alternatives" versus PATH

[Rex Dieter]

Edwin Olson wrote:

> Fedora has shipped "alternatives" for a while now, but I still don't get
> it.
> 
> Why is "alternatives" better than setting your PATH appropriately?

There are cases where "alternatives" are appropriate (with no better
implementation alternative), and there are cases were alternatives is not
appropriate.

Using alternatives soley to avoid augmenting $PATH is not.  jpackage's use
of alternatives is imo appropriate, since it does a lot more than what can
be accomplished via setting PATH.

-- Rex