[KLUG Members] Multiple x86 architecture RPM packages in RedHat install ..

[Bryan J. Smith]

This is probably a question for Bruce, but all should feel free to "join
in."

Anyone who has looked at the RedHat RPM list under ./RedHat/RPMS on an
install CD or in an install directory (for those of us that use NFS),
you'll note a few packages are duplicated with different x86
architectures (i.e. packagename.ARCH.rpm).  E.g., the obvious kernel
versions (.i386, .i586, .i686 and, more recently, .athlon), glibc
(.i386, .i686) and maybe one or two others.

I'm curious to find out if the Anaconda installer is flexible enough to
handle additional x86 architectures for the same package?  Or if the
installer is "hard coded" to only handle multiple architectures on a few
packages?

The reason I ask is because I want to start "dropping in" (to my NFS
install) various Athlon-optimized packages.  Mainly glibc, but various
multimedia packages as well (sdl*, libdvd, MPlayer, etc...) where Athlon
makes a _big_difference_.  Possibly some of the math libraries too
(again, where the Athlon optimizations make a _big_difference_).

All new systems I have assembled in the last 18 months have been
Athlon.  This is close to ~50 systems now, so it's probably good to have
these for that little "performance kick."  It would be nice if I could
use the same NFS install directory for both Athlon and non-Athlon
systems.

Although it's fairly easy to test to see if Anaconda accepts it, I
canNOT easily verify which x86 architecture RPM was actually installed. 
At least I don't know how to find out with any variation of "rpm -q".

Again, any help, comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

-- Bryan

-- 
"We don't treat Linux as a toy.  We've got real business problems
 that we need to solve." -- Credit Suisse First Boston's Yatko
 c/o 2002Mar27 Forbes article on 100% Linux move by Merrill Lynch
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Bryan J. Smith, SmithConcepts, Inc.     mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org
Engineers and IT Professionals       http://www.SmithConcepts.com