User Installed and Maintened Software

There is a directory called /home/user-maint/ for installing software which you want to install, doesn't need root to install it and which you think may also be useful for other users.

Finding and Running Programs

To see what is currently installed and where, check the file User Maintained Softwre List or /home/user-maint/INDEX.content

To run a particular program the path is /home/user-maint/program-location You can add /home/user-maint or /home/user-maint/CRSid to your the end of your path to decrease the amount of typing needed. Where CRSid is the CRSid of the person whose programs you are hoping to use. The advantage of using the CRSid is to cover the case where two people install software with the same name.

If for example you wish to use the programs installed by jks36 then you can add /home/user-maint/jks36 to your path or create an alias to run the software

export PATH=$PATH:/home/user-maint/jks36 
to your .bashrc file.
or
alias psshuffle=/home/user-maint/jks36/bin/psshuffle

See the section on customizing your shell for more details on aliases and PATH.

While you are free to use any of the programs installed here, bear in mind that if you have difficulties running them then you need to contact the person who installed it and not a computer officer.

To install programs

  • Email the departmental computing helpdesk and ask for a directory in /home/user-maint/
  • We will create a directory called /home/user-maint/loginname for you.
  • As soon as you start installing software in this directory you must create a file called INDEX. In this file list the software you have installed in your directory. If the software is not yet installed or not working put a # before the name and description and then it will not be added to the master index.
  • The format of the file INDEX is
    program-name followed by a brief program description maybe including notes on how to run it, what platform it runs on and what it does. You can of course put a README file inside the directory with more information.

The master index file is updated twice daily.

This is an experiment. Its purpose is to reduce the amount of installs computer officers are asked for. If it is found that it creates extra workload for the computer officers (apart from directory creation) then it may stop.

We will of course still install software which is work related (when asked) onto all machines.