Gee! These Aren't Roasted!
Hi, sometimes I just download a tarball and extract the folder to my desktop or my home folder, and I then compile the program for there. Is that bad?
Does it really matter where I extract the folder? Or where I compile the program?
Can I delete the extracted folder after installing?
make bzImage, not war
Howdy,
If the program has a proper Makefile, then nothing happens to your system until you run 'make install', so whichever way you experiment is fine.
However, if you are using your computer for something important besides software R&D work and you are worried about breaking it, then you should install Virtualbox and create a virtual machine for software development work. That way, your base system remains safe. This is what most serious developers do.
Ubuntu Cappuccino Scuro
pretty soon you'll have software in the desktop, you documents' folder, your home dir, downloads dir and so on.... A mess to find what you needOriginally Posted by Wiking
usually users should compile they software in /usr/loacal/<specific subfolder> (if it's a lib in /lib, if it's a code into src etc..)
when you compile a software is always a good ide to save the tar archive and the source code(the config/make file , in order to make uninstall easier in the future)
I usually choose /usr/local/share
that way other users can see it and use it without touching the system tools.
Last edited by fdrake; February 16th, 2013 at 07:14 AM.
Staff Emeritus
No, assuming you trust the source code.
I create folders below my ~/Downloads/ for this purpose.
I usually keep these folders in case I want to uninstall the software later on with sudo make uninstall
Still having fun...
Perhaps you could emulate a customary Slackware practice and perform the actual compilation in /tmp. Not normally done in Ubuntu but it might be a sound practice to at least experiment with?
Last edited by andrew.46; February 19th, 2013 at 10:54 AM. Reason: Missed a vital word.....
You think that's air you're breathing now?
Eschew gratuitous obfuscation
If you're doing it a lot, probably yes.
Linux distros like Ubuntu have a sophisticated package manager built in. The package manager constantly juggles a complex web of dependencies between all the software on your machine and keeps everything running stably. Downloading tarballs and compiling them circumvents that package management system, and can cause the dependency system to break.
That's not going to cause any catastrophic damage, things will just not work properly. But if you want a stable system it's always best to use the package manager to install software. If you need a package that's not in the repos, try to find a .deb or a PPA for it rather than a tarball.
Tall Cafè Ubuntu
+1
For a "typical" home user the compilation of tarballs is both unnecessary and undesirable. It is far better to use a package from the repos as this ensures that all the necessary dependencies are available or will be installed as required. Personally, I haven't compiled software for many years as I prefer to avoid hassle and keep my systems stable!
Ubuntu Green Coffee Beans
I always compile mine in ~/builds/app_name a habit I picked up using other distros. Keeps everything nice and organized.
Still having fun...
I have to mildly disagree with those who advocate against compiling at all. It can be done safely and can be integrated easily enough with the Ubuntu package manager. Times to consider compiling would include:
- A newer version of your favourite software is not included with your current flavour of Ubuntu.
- ....and you are not keen on PPAs...
- You want to add in an option that has not been compiled into the repository version
- You want to experiment a little
My own MPlayer guide is an example of all of these features rolled into one and I give it some advertising here:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Compiling%20MPlayer
You think that's air you're breathing now?
Tall Cafè Ubuntu
I'm sorry but I fail to see how compiled software integrates with the package manager. Packages automatically receive security updates whereas compiled software remains outside this system and can only be updated manually. Keeping track of manually installed software is a nightmare!
I agree that if a user really needs the "latest and greatest" then compiling may be appropriate as PPAs can be from dubious sources. However, if a stable system is required then I advise always keeping well behind the "latest and greatest" software to avoid problems.
Experimentation is fine but, I suggest, not on a critical system. Either use a Virtual Machine or, ideally, a totally different "play" system.
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