Re: GNU System Explanation

[Barry deFreese]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard M. Stallman" <address@hidden>
To: "Claudio Fontana" <address@hidden>
Cc: <address@hidden>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: GNU System Explanation


>    However, I do not understand why the need for the
>    symlink.
>    The packages could be directly installed in
>    /packages/package_name/ as a real directory, with the
>    same result.
>
> That is right.  However, symlinks make installation and deinstallation
> more convenient.
>
> Also, the name of the symlink can specify virtual renaming of the
> executables "installed" in /bin.  That's how you would make two
> versions of Emacs coexist.

I still don't see how this is possible with binary packages.  If there is an 
API/ABI change in libemacs (yes I am being facecious here) and both are 
"stowed" to /lib you can't execute both versions anyway.  Or am I still 
missing something?

Thanks,

Barry deFreese (aka bddebian)