This is GNU Stow, a program for managing the installation of software
packages, keeping them separate (/usr/local/stow/emacs vs.
/usr/local/stow/perl, for example) while making them appear to be
installed in the same place (/usr/local).  Stow doesn't store an extra
state between runs, so there's no danger of mangling directories when
file hierarchies don't match the database. Also, stow will never
delete any files, directories, or links that appear in a stow
directory, so it is always possible to rebuild the target tree.

See INSTALL for installation instructions.

You can get the latest information about Stow from
http://www.gnu.org/software/stow/stow.html

Stow was inspired by Carnegie Mellon's "Depot" program, but is substantially
simpler.  Whereas Depot requires database files to keep things in sync, Stow
stores no extra state between runs, so there's no danger (as there is in
Depot) of mangling directories when file hierarchies don't match the database.
Also unlike Depot, Stow will never delete any files, directories, or links
that appear in a Stow directory (e.g., /usr/local/stow/emacs), so it's always
possible to rebuild the target tree (e.g., /usr/local).

Stow is free software, licensed under the GNU General Public License, which
can be found in the file COPYING.

Please mail comments, questions, and criticisms to the current maintainers
via help-stow@gnu.org or bug-stow@gnu.org.
