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update the introductory text to clarify Stow's common usage

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Thanks to Jean Louis for some suggestions on this.
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Adam Spiers 2018-02-11 11:47:39 +00:00
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doc/stow.texi
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@ -82,7 +82,10 @@ approved by the Free Software Foundation.
@ifinfo
This manual describes GNU Stow @value{VERSION} (@value{UPDATED}), a
program for managing the installation of software packages.
program for managing sets of symbolic links, in order to make groups
of related files (such as distinct packages of software, or
configuration files) in one place in the filesystem appear to be
located in another place.
@end ifinfo
@end ifnottex
@ -128,14 +131,19 @@ Advice on changing compilation and installation parameters
@node Introduction, Terminology, Top, Top
@chapter Introduction
Stow is a tool for managing the installation of multiple software
packages in the same run-time directory tree. One historical difficulty
of this task has been the need to administer, upgrade, install, and
remove files in independent packages without confusing them with other
files sharing the same file system space. For instance, it is common to
install Perl and Emacs in @file{/usr/local}. When one does so, one
Stow is a tool for managing sets of symbolic links in order to
facilitate the installation of multiple software packages, or other
groups of related files, such as configuration files, into a single
directory tree.
Originally Stow was born to address the need to administer, upgrade,
install, and remove files in independent software packages without
confusing them with other files sharing the same file system space.
For instance, it used to be common to compile Perl and Emacs from
source and install them in @file{/usr/local}. When one does so, one
winds up with the following files@footnote{As of Perl 4.036 and Emacs
19.22.} in @file{/usr/local/man/man1}:
19.22. These are now ancient releases but the example still holds
valid.} in @file{/usr/local/man/man1}:
@example
a2p.1
@ -163,6 +171,18 @@ tree; i.e. (in the typical case) there should be a @file{bin} directory
containing executables, a @file{man/man1} directory containing section 1
man pages, and so on.
In more recent times, software packages are often managed by more
sophisticated package management software such as
@uref{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rpm_(software), @command{rpm}},
@uref{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dpkg, @command{dpkg}}, and
@uref{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nix_package_manager, Nix}.
However Stow is still used not only for software package management,
but also for other purposes, such as facilitating a more controlled
approach to management of configuration files in the user's home
directory@footnote{@uref{http://brandon.invergo.net/news/2012-05-26-using-gnu-stow-to-manage-your-dotfiles.html}},
especially when coupled with version control
systems@footnote{@uref{http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-stow/2011-12/msg00000.html}}.
Stow was inspired by Carnegie Mellon's Depot program, but is
substantially simpler and safer. Whereas Depot required database files
to keep things in sync, Stow stores no extra state between runs, so