Hello mark,   
      
   18 Jul 15 21:42, you wrote to me:   
      
    ml> i do that with /home as a matter of principle... especially since i   
    ml> don't want to break an user's private installs and such ;)   
      
   I've installed MBSE four times under four different distros and NOT ONCE did I    
   have a problem installing it to /opt.   
      
   So you're willing to install a publicly accessable server into your home    
   directory?  Do you leave your home unlocked when you leave?  That's just    
   asking for problems.  MBSE is a system install, not a private user install,    
   and it's set up that way...   
      
   Not only that, but /home is actually an optional directory and not all systems    
   even use /home.   
      
   From the MBSE manual:   
      
   "MBSE BBS is default installed in /opt/mbse. It should be possible to install    
   the bbs in a different location but this is not supported. Many have tried,    
   and and only a few have succeeded. See Filesystem Hierarchy Standard for more    
   info."   
      
   It's done that way so the software will work correctly under every install,    
   that's why.  You should realize this.   
      
   From    
   http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#OPTADDONAPPLICATIONSOFTWAREPA    
   CKAGE S:   
      
   "The use of /opt for add-on software is a well-established practice in the    
   UNIX community. The System V Application Binary Interface [AT&T 1990], based    
   on the System V Interface Definition (Third Edition), provides for an /opt    
   structure very similar to the one defined here.   
      
   The Intel Binary Compatibility Standard v. 2 (iBCS2) also provides a similar    
   structure for /opt.   
      
   Generally, all data required to support a package on a system must be present    
   within /opt/, including files intended to be copied into    
   /etc/opt/ and /var/opt/ as well as reserved directories in    
   /opt.   
      
   The minor restrictions on distributions using /opt are necessary because    
   conflicts are possible between distribution-installed and locally-installed    
   software, especially in the case of fixed pathnames found in some binary    
   software.   
      
   The structure of the directories below /opt/ is left up to the    
   packager of the software, though it is recommended that packages are installed    
   in /opt// and follow a similar structure to the guidelines    
   for /opt/package. A valid reason for diverging from this structure is for    
   support packages which may have files installed in /opt//lib or    
   /opt//bin."   
      
   From:   
   http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#PURPOSE10   
      
   "/home : User home directories (optional)   
   Purpose   
      
   /home is a fairly standard concept, but it is clearly a site-specific    
   filesystem. [9] The setup will differ from host to host. Therefore, no program    
   should rely on this location. [10]"   
      
   So if you want to go breaking MBSE from its official distribution, go right    
   ahead and do it.  I didn't have any problem following directions, but just    
   because others do, that doesn't mean you can go around breaking software just    
   because of your ineptitude in INSTALLING IT.  I mean, if you can't even    
   install the software right, perhaps you shouldn't be using it!   
      
   This isn't Windows where you can stick a program wherever you want and not    
   worry about it. :)   
      
   I've several patches I'm going to be giving Andrew (hopefully soon).  I won't    
   support any patches I've made unless MBSE is installed correctly.  After    
   nearly 20 years of supporting Cheepware, I've come to the conclusion that a    
   majority of sysops are lazy and don't bother reading the directions.  In the    
   MBSE manual, it says that all distros may not work with MBSE, but it seems    
   people overlook that fact and claim MBSE is broken.   
      
   --Sean   
      
   --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20150715   
    * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN, USA (1:18/200)