> But if you really need the new versions, you should use a repeatable build system that generates OS packages exactly the way you want them. You should put them into a local repo so that when you install or upgrade a new machine, you get the version you specify, not whatever has just hit trunk upstream. And you may want your versions to be placed in a non-(system)-standard location, so that your application has to specify the path -- but be guaranteed that you can install several versions in parallel, and use the right one.

Exactly. You have to be fucking careful. Or you can just use a container. That's his point.

> I think that fear is born of ignorance, and we should fix that.

Actually I think it's born from having a lot of experience of installing things and it being a total nightmare..

You're right, obviously we should stick to packaged versions of libraries whenever possible, but as you say, it is not always possible.