There are a number of Linux language packages that are self-extending such as Perl, python, and R, For example, installing the BioConductor package is easiest from within R, just run R, source a URL to download the script, then run the function thus created. Lots happens, and hey presto, a new R library! Traditionally everything is owned and maintained by root, but being a sysadmin (paid professional paranoid) I created a user "rowner" and group "rusers" and "chown -R" the R base directory "/usr/lib/R" Now I su to rowner before doing the above, and the system is isolated from any malicious code somewhere in R's contributed package libraries. So much for a language I don't know (or like or trust). What about the language I do know, love and trust, Perl? Su to root, set dependencies to "follow", run CPAN, "install Bundle::Evil::RootKit" and go have a cup of coffee... There's an awful lot of libraries and contributors... Do I trust them all? Historically I've effectively said, "Of course! Anyone who hacks Perl has to be a good-guy!" Well history aside, maybe it's not such a good idea; what do people think of using the R strategy for all self extending languages? michaelj -- Michael James michael.james@csiro.au System Administrator voice: 02 6246 5040 CSIRO Bioinformatics Facility fax: 02 6246 5166 No matter how much you pay for software, you always get less than you hoped. Unless you pay nothing, then you get more.