Changes between Version 122 and Version 123 of FAQ


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Timestamp:
Apr 12, 2012, 8:49:22 AM (13 years ago)
Author:
ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)
Comment:

minor edits

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  • FAQ

    v122 v123  
    5454                       
    5555Traditionally, the place to install third party software on many UNIX systems is `/usr/local`.
    56 However, having macports under `/usr/local` would be error-prone for precisely that reason. 
     56However, having MacPorts under `/usr/local` would be error-prone for precisely that reason. 
    5757Many other software packages and packaging systems install into `/usr/local`,
    58 and could accidentaly overwrite what macports has installed, or vice versa.
     58and could accidentaly overwrite what MacPorts has installed, or vice versa.
    5959
    6060While this could be dismissed as the user's own error, it is a fact that
    6161people click through installers blindly, and consequently collisions under       
    6262`/usr/local` (and other prominent directories) happen very often.
    63 Macports doesn't want to be a victim of that, and `/opt/local` provides
     63MacPorts doesn't want to be a victim of that, and `/opt/local` provides
    6464the splendid isolation (as would any other dedicated directory, of course).
    6565
    6666Also, `/usr/local` traditionally contains the given system's local admin tools;
    67 macports doesn't want to stomp on that either.
     67MacPorts doesn't want to stomp on that either.
    6868
    6969(For the same reasons, fink uses `/sw` as its prefix.)
    7070
    71 === So with macports under /opt/local I can use /usr/local freely? === #usrlocal
     71=== So with MacPorts under /opt/local I can use /usr/local freely? === #usrlocal
    7272                                                                               
    73 No, not entirely. Even with macports living elsewhere, `/usr/local` can still interfere.
     73No, not entirely. Even with MacPorts living elsewhere, `/usr/local` can still interfere.
    7474Some software (especially the GNU auto* tools and gcc) looks into `/usr/local` for external headers, libraries, and binaries. Certain ports might (and do) fail to build because during their build something incompatible is found and picked up
    7575from `/usr/local`. Good ports avoid this by explicitly specifying `--with-libfoo=/opt/local/lib/` or explicitly disabling all such possible dependencies altogether with `--disable-foo` or `--without-bar` but not all ports are able to do that.
    7676
    77 If you ask on a macports mailing list about a port failing to build because it chokes on something
    78 that it found and picked up in `/usr/local` you will probably be adviced to temporarily rename
     77If you ask on a MacPorts mailing list about a port failing to build because it chokes on something
     78that it found and picked up in `/usr/local` you will probably be advised to temporarily rename
    7979`/usr/local` to make it disappear entirely for the duration of the build.
    80 Obviously, this wouldn't be possible to do if macports itself lived under `/usr/local`.         
     80Obviously, this wouldn't be possible to do if MacPorts itself lived under `/usr/local`.         
    8181 
    8282=== How do I remove or uninstall MacPorts? === #uninstall