[PLUG] RPM questions

[Rich Shepard]

  I've installed several libraries from tarballs because these libraries are
required by packages I've installed. Because the libraries were not
installed from a package, the rpm database is unaware of their existence and
reports that they are missing when I try to install a different application
that requires them. Is there a way to make the package database aware that
these libraries are installed?

  Seems to me that the only difference between the Update and Freshen
options is that the former will install a package if it's not already
present. Are there any other differences?

Thanks,

Rich