In the case of major packages I put them where they want to go, so no they don't all go in /usr/local

As to the loss of upgradability, my only Linux box at the moment is my DNS and mail server. Because of this I don't spend my whole time installing new stuff. I haven't had any upgrade problems over the last couple of years that it has been running. I think that is because the sort of stuff I have been adding above the RedHat supplied packages has never required me to update any common libraries.

I doubt if much of the stuff I have added is available in apt format (or even in RPM) anyway.

I'll be building some new Linux boxes soon (want a backup DNS and mail server on the end of a friends DSL line), so I'll probably have a look at Debian and see what it's like then.

P.S. I know it isn't good to have your DNS/MX at the end of a DSL and I already have secondaries on a reliable Internet link.