Andreas Tille wrote: > > On Wed, 16 Apr 1997, Portuesi Simone wrote: > > > I've to install debian linux in 4 PCs here at the university (now they > > have an old slackware). My idea was to have one of them to export users > > and their directories plus a directory with apps not in the debian > > distribution (a sort of non-local). Up to here no problems arise. > > But I'd like also to share man pages, info files and documentation > > across the 4 systems but that will break the packaging handling of > > Debian (ex. removing a package in one PC will remouve all the > > documentation and help on the others), is there a work-around? > > In particular is there a way to inform the debian packaging system of > > shared files ? > I maintain a Debian system with a workstation as NFS server. That means > the /usr tree resides on a drive mounted via NFS (ro) and some > parts of var resides also there. I linked /var/texmf and /var/catman > on a NFS mounted drive (rw). This works fine for me and I'm intended > to use this server from several other Linux PCs (but not tried yet). > > I have to mention that I had serious trouble while installing and > if you have problems don't hesitate to ask me special problems. > But once installed (using some tricky workarounds) it works fine > (but slightly slower). >
The problem is that I would like to reduce workarounds as much as possible as I'me not the only one to administrate it. Probably the best solution is to un-mount the shared partitions when removing packages, but: I don't know how dpkg and dselect are going to react to this. When installing poackages unmounting is not strictly neccesaire, but it'll be safe to unmount it and the compare the files installed withe the new ones. Anyway the shared parts are not in anyway vital (documantation, mans and info) > > Also is there a method to install part of a Debian package in a > > different directory? (I think the only one is to modify packages by > > hand). > That's not necessary in any way. The only thing is to link some > files in /etc to a common tree but I think this is not necessary > and too much work. > > Even if it is complex it would be nice if future versions of Debian > > would permit such kind of installation or have tools to permit it. It was just a proposal. Having such feature will make this kind of installation simpler. Thus making all the debian installation more flexible. > OK, tell me your problem. I think you will cope with them with the > actual version. Yep, I think I can, I just wanted to make installation as clean as possible as University installation with many people administrating or working at root level (S.O. and network) experimenting tend to enhance over time all the initial installation flaws, thats why we chose debian (as well with others considarations), it's packaging system permits to renew and maintain installations at lower risks. > Andreas. Thanks , Simone Portuesi [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .