What directories can be shared between multiple distributions on the same machine??

[Zhao YouBing]

If I want to install multiple distributions on one machine, there should
be some parts that can be shared,
such as SWAP, /tmp(if u made it a separate partition), but
can we share /usr, /var? What should be done carefully to share them?

thanks

--
Zhao YouBing, Ph.D student
State Key Lab of CAD&CG,Zhejiang University,
Hangzhou, 310027, P.R.China
Tel : 0571-87951045(O), 87933444(H)
Email: [email]zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn[/email]
MSN : [email]zhaoyoubing@hotmail.com[/email]



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[Lukas Ruf]

Hallo Zhao YouBing <zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn> [2003-07-07 12:31]:

> If I want to install multiple distributions on one machine, there should
> be some parts that can be shared,
> such as SWAP, /tmp(if u made it a separate partition), but
> can we share /usr, /var? What should be done carefully to share them?
>

I assume:
swap -- without problems
usr -- I wouldn't since all distros make use of slightly different
configurations
etc -- dito
home -- yes
var -- with a lot of care due to "usr"-problematic
dev -- depends on the various kernels, i.e. devfs <-> legacy devs

In general:
- where OS/distro-dependend stuff is in, rather not
- user's data like home of course

What do the other think?

wbr,
Lukas
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Lukas Ruf | Wanna know anything about raw |
<http://www.lpr.ch> | IP? <http://www.rawip.org> |


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[David Fokkema]

On Mon, Jul 07, 2003 at 12:37:18PM +0200, Lukas Ruf wrote:

> Hallo Zhao YouBing <zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn> [2003-07-07 12:31]:

> > If I want to install multiple distributions on one machine, there should
> > be some parts that can be shared,
> > such as SWAP, /tmp(if u made it a separate partition), but
> > can we share /usr, /var? What should be done carefully to share them?
> >

>
> I assume:
> swap -- without problems
> usr -- I wouldn't since all distros make use of slightly different
> configurations
> etc -- dito
> home -- yes
> var -- with a lot of care due to "usr"-problematic
> dev -- depends on the various kernels, i.e. devfs <-> legacy devs
>
> In general:
> - where OS/distro-dependend stuff is in, rather not
> - user's data like home of course
>
> What do the other think?

Basically, I agree with you. /home, /tmp and swap. Nothing more. You run
the risk of either breaking or polluting different distros.

David


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[Zhao YouBing]

So many distributions, it seems that the life will be easier if they can
unite into one,
anyway, there is only one breed of kernel.

When u use some distributions u lost the freedom of using others.

Though they almost have almost same contents, tiny difference in /usr
and other directories made thost parts can't be shared, what a waste!!!!

Maybe there should be only one Linux , just like FreeBSD.


David Fokkema wrote:

>On Mon, Jul 07, 2003 at 12:37:18PM +0200, Lukas Ruf wrote:
>
>

>>Hallo Zhao YouBing <zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn> [2003-07-07 12:31]:
>>
>>

>>>If I want to install multiple distributions on one machine, there should
>>>be some parts that can be shared,
>>>such as SWAP, /tmp(if u made it a separate partition), but
>>>can we share /usr, /var? What should be done carefully to share them?
>>>
>>>
>>>

>>I assume:
>> swap -- without problems
>> usr -- I wouldn't since all distros make use of slightly different
>> configurations
>> etc -- dito
>> home -- yes
>> var -- with a lot of care due to "usr"-problematic
>> dev -- depends on the various kernels, i.e. devfs <-> legacy devs
>>
>>In general:
>> - where OS/distro-dependend stuff is in, rather not
>> - user's data like home of course
>>
>>What do the other think?
>>
>>

>
>Basically, I agree with you. /home, /tmp and swap. Nothing more. You run
>the risk of either breaking or polluting different distros.
>
>David
>
>
>
>

--
Zhao YouBing, Ph.D student
State Key Lab of CAD&CG,Zhejiang University,
Hangzhou, 310027, P.R.China
Tel : 0571-87951045(O), 87933444(H)
Email: [email]zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn[/email]
MSN : [email]zhaoyoubing@hotmail.com[/email]



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[Hugh Saunders]

On Mon, Jul 07, 2003 at 07:47:45PM +0800, Zhao YouBing wrote:

> So many distributions, it seems that the life will be easier if they can
> unite into one,
> anyway, there is only one breed of kernel.

/me humms something about Debian GNU/hurd..

;)

--
hugh

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[Chris Metzler]

On Mon, 7 Jul 2003 13:20:25 +0200
David Fokkema <dfokkema@ileos.nl> wrote:

> On Mon, Jul 07, 2003 at 12:37:18PM +0200, Lukas Ruf wrote:

>>
>> I assume:
>> swap -- without problems
>> usr -- I wouldn't since all distros make use of slightly different
>> configurations
>> etc -- dito
>> home -- yes
>> var -- with a lot of care due to "usr"-problematic
>> dev -- depends on the various kernels, i.e. devfs <-> legacy devs
>>
>> In general:
>> - where OS/distro-dependend stuff is in, rather not
>> - user's data like home of course
>>
>> What do the other think?

>
> Basically, I agree with you. /home, /tmp and swap. Nothing more. You run
> the risk of either breaking or polluting different distros.

I might imagine that there'd be others if you were aggressive about
sub-partitioning. For example, if /var/mail were its own partition,
mounted at either /var/mail or /var/spool/mail depending on what a
particular distro did, I would think that'd work.

-c

--
Chris Metzler [email]cmetzler@speakeasy.snip-me.net[/email]
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[Vineet Kumar]

* Zhao YouBing (zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn) [030707 04:49]:

> So many distributions, it seems that the life will be easier if they can
> unite into one,
> anyway, there is only one breed of kernel.
>
> When u use some distributions u lost the freedom of using others.
>
> Though they almost have almost same contents, tiny difference in /usr
> and other directories made thost parts can't be shared, what a waste!!!!
>
> Maybe there should be only one Linux , just like FreeBSD.

So just run one. If you're concerned about losing freedom (?) just run
Debian! It doesn't get any Freer than that.

good times,
Vineet
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[Greg Madden]

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On Monday 07 July 2003 02:37 am, Lukas Ruf wrote:

> Hallo Zhao YouBing <zhaoyb@cad.zju.edu.cn> [2003-07-07 12:31]:

> > If I want to install multiple distributions on one machine, there
> > should be some parts that can be shared,
> > such as SWAP, /tmp(if u made it a separate partition), but
> > can we share /usr, /var? What should be done carefully to share them?

>
> I assume:
> swap -- without problems
> usr -- I wouldn't since all distros make use of slightly different
> configurations
> etc -- dito
> home -- yes
> var -- with a lot of care due to "usr"-problematic
> dev -- depends on the various kernels, i.e. devfs <-> legacy devs
>
> In general:
> - where OS/distro-dependend stuff is in, rather not
> - user's data like home of course
>
> What do the other think?

I would think any file system that the system doesn't write to. This would
also include /usr/local and /opt. Though on some distro's /opt gets
software installed, I don't think sharing it would affect any particular
distro.
- --
Greg Madden
Debian GNU/Linux
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