CentOS - Dec 2006 - Advise on RPM vs. Compiling source

Hi, 

Need some advice on installing postfix in CentOS4.
Which is better, installing by yum or rpm -i or by
compiling from source code? What are the advantages
and/or disadvantages of each. Thanks.

junji
linux registered user #253162

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Jun Salen wrote:
> Hi, 
> 
> Need some advice on installing postfix in CentOS4.
> Which is better, installing by yum or rpm -i or by
> compiling from source code? What are the advantages
> and/or disadvantages of each. Thanks.
this issue has been covered a few times on the list, I suggest you start 
with a search through the achieves.

short answer: use yum ( which in turn uses rpm ).

-- 
Karanbir Singh : http://www.karan.org/ : 2522219 at icq

> Hi,
>
> Need some advice on installing postfix in CentOS4.
> Which is better, installing by yum or rpm -i or by
> compiling from source code? What are the advantages
> and/or disadvantages of each. Thanks.
>
> junji
> linux registered user #253162
>
> Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
> _______________________________________________
> CentOS mailing list
> CentOS at centos.org
> http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
>

with  yum  you will have the  security updates for the current postfix
version

if you compile from source  you'll need to keep up  with the security
releases and  patch or  recompile  the new versions


Leonel

Jun Salen wrote:
> Hi, 
> 
> Need some advice on installing postfix in CentOS4.
> Which is better, installing by yum or rpm -i or by
> compiling from source code? What are the advantages
> and/or disadvantages of each. Thanks.
> 
You can compile from source if the RHEL4 postfix package does not suit 
your needs (source compiles of latest postfix offers more featues for 
example or get you mysql database support).

Other than that I do not see any other advantage. Disadvantages to 
either method...none besides the rpm not offering the other features 
available. postfix has not had a security problem since one issue in 
version 1.x which is perhaps not too surprising given that Wietse is 
also the author of tcp_wrappers so you do not need to keep track of 
security holes unlike sendmail.

On Thu, 7 Dec 2006 00:57:39 +0000 (GMT)
Jun Salen <nokijun at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Need some advice on installing postfix in CentOS4.
> Which is better, installing by yum or rpm -i or by
> compiling from source code? What are the advantages
> and/or disadvantages of each. Thanks.
The Wiki lists some cons/pros:

http://wiki.centos.org/PackageManagement/SourceInstalls

Your standard modus operandi should be installing from the CentOS
repositories with yum. It is the only thing that is supported and
well-tested. It is also the only way to automatically get security
updates for Postfix from the CentOS project through yum.

There are exceptions to the rule, but you'll know when you encounter
them :^).

-- Daniel