[Portland] /opt setup

[James Richard Tyrer]

George Kraft wrote:
> This morning Waldo Bastian gave a Portland presentation at DDC06 in
> Ottawa.  He briefly discussed how to integrate /opt/ applications
> into /usr/.  I would like to recommend a one time global setup of /opt/
> via /etc/profile.d/ and for every /opt/ application to do a post install
> setup.
> 
> http://lists.freestandards.org/pipermail/lsb-discuss/2004-June/002148.html
> 
With all these links, is there really any point in installing an 
application in: "/opt/"?  I suppose so, but I can't help but wonder.

IIUC, the main advantage of installing an application in: "/opt/" is 
that all of the applications files are in one place and can be easily 
removed.  If that advantage is not needed because we use a package 
management system that can remove all files, I really think that it 
would best to simply drop the: "/opt/" directory.  That is, are there 
real advantages in installing in: "/opt/<app_name>/" rather than just 
installing in: "/usr/local/"?

A reasonable solution would be possible if it were possible to merge 
directories in *NIX as I understand that it is with Plan9.

Can Linux address this issue with a virtual file system?

-- 
JRT