Maintaining a redhat system

[Matthew Hawkins]

Martijn van Oosterhout (kleptog at svana.org) wrote:
> So, how can I (like in Debian) simply have the system install the packages
> while taking care that the rest doesn't break.

I remember Redhat!  I used to spend countless hours doing this exact
task, which is one reason why I changed to Debian.
My method was to grab the source RPM of what you wanted, and "rpm --rebuild".
That way the thing you wanted is built using the right compiler and
libraries, if it doesn't work its a fault of the thing you wanted :)

> (Maybe someday someone can explain to me how the same set of headers, source
> and libraries can result in: Debian 2.95.4 => segfault, Redhat 2.96 =>
> works).

This is most likely due to changes in libc.  Both Redhat and Debian
apply their own patches to the base glibc code.  If its not libc, it's
the same thing with another library you have.  If the ... what do you
call those legacy things again?  proprietary software?  ... was compiled
and linked with OS a, then there's no guarantee it will work with OS b.
Usually you can apply strace, nm, etc and find out what's breaking.
Funkily enough, same happens on Solaris :)

-- 
Matt
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