Re: [boost] Getting Started Testing with Linux virtual machine on Windows host

Subject: Re: [boost] Getting Started Testing with Linux virtual machine on Windows host
From: Lars Viklund (zao_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-12-17 09:55:48

On Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 06:36:24PM +0400, Andrey Semashev wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 6:24 PM, Beman Dawes <bdawes_at_[hidden]> wrote:
> > On Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 1:28 AM, Cox, Michael <mhcox_at_[hidden]>wrote:
> >> Recommend changing:
> >>
> >>
> >> sudo mv b2 /usr/bin
> >>
> >> to
> >>
> >>
> >> sudo mv b2 /usr/local/bin
> >>
> >
> > Done. Works as expected. Thanks.
> >
> > Since I'm not very knowledgeable about Linux or other POSIX-like systems, I
> > tend to make really stupid mistakes. Anyone should raise a red flag if they
> > spot something that doesn't seem right.
> 
> Please, please don't recommend putting anything into /usr/bin. See my
> reply to Michael.

A major red flag I see is: you're messing with global machine state even
if you work with /usr/local.

I'd recommend that you avoid touching anything outside of the user
unless you really need to. The less persistent state you end up with
after testing a build, the less cruft will build up in the machine over
time.

The last thing you want is stray files from a previous test or unrelated
test kicking in and tricking you. If you run your tests from a user, you
can trivially make another one or recreate it if you suspect you've
tainted it. With global state, you pretty much have to re-provision the
whole machine.

-- 
Lars Viklund | zao_at_[hidden]