[ale] Alternatives

[Jim Popovitch]

At a simplistic level /etc/alternatives is a way for distros to map one
file to another files.  For instance, if you shipped a Linux distro with
these 2 files:

   /usr/bin/httpd
   /usr/bin/roxen

Out of the box you might provide a default softlink from one of the
above to /etc/alternatives/webserver.

You could then have one startup script
called /etc/init.d/preferred-webserver which executed
the /etc/alternatives/webserver.

-Jim P.


On Tue, 2005-01-11 at 19:12 -0500, Sean Kilpatrick wrote:
> Long story made short:
>   Upgraded RH9 to FC3.
>   No application could find a printer.
>   After much banging my head against a wall and consulting
>   with my son I found my way to /etc/alternatives and the
>   command of the same name.
>   Read the man page -- three times, carefully. My eyes
>   glazed over each time.
>   My problem was that sym links were NOT pointing to the
>   proper cups file but to the (outdated) Lprng file.
> 
>   Finally got things sorted out, but am left with a plea:
> 
>   Would someone -- anyone -- be willing to give a 5-10 minute
>   explanation of <alternatives>  _with_ examples at an ALE
>   Central meeting?
> 
> Sean
> 
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