Interesting Questions

[Wallace Colyer]

> *i) What would a vendor install script that you didn't hate look like? 

The biggest problem we have with vendor install scripts is that they
do not fit into our rather complex installation and release control
environment.  

We install into one location, release to another, and finally use the
software from a third.  This means that the installation script must
at a minimum support the idea of a DESTDIR and a TOPDIR.  DESTDIR
is the path to install into and TOPDIR is where it will finally live
so that any hard coded paths can be constructed even though the stuff
it still not in the proper location.

In addition, the directories within the hierarchy under TOPDIR need to
be changable.  If one application is already using
TOPDIR/lib/mumblefoo I need to be able to change it so that the new
application which wants to use that same directory can use
TOPDIR/lib/mumblefred instead.

Assumptions about the environment need to be abstracted as much as
possible and documented.  When ever possible modifiable scripts should
be allowed for services like printing and mail.

-Wallace