Guide/FAQ: Co-existing with Node.js, version managers, etc.

[snostorm]

Given there's a lot of questions coming in on IRC and the mainline repo, we should probably add a section to the FAQ (or our first "guide" article) about different ways to install io.js, especially with regards to having it co-exist.

Methods to discuss (in no particular order):

• Why we stomp node and symlink it (npm, etc.)
• A list of supported package managers like nvm, n, etc. (once they have support)
• The n "workaround" of manually extracting the tarball as 1.0.1
• Running from the (extracted) pre-compiled tarball for your OS
• Building and installing to a new --prefix location
• Using $PATH to point at some of the above options

Ongoing reference to tickets discussing this issue:

• install alongside existing nodejs installation node#376
• iojs should only overwrite /usr/bin/node if it was explicitly specified node#429

[bnoordhuis]

Can we do this sooner rather than later? People are filings bugs about it left and right.

[therebelrobot]

+1 to this section. I like the idea of having guides as well.

[snostorm]

How about we crowd source? Paste code snippets/rough chunks of the steps needed for items in the list above just in to the comments below? Then we can get somebody with free hands at the moment to format it up in to a new HTML (or part of the FAQ if the length is reasonable.)?

[curtisz]

Something like this would be very useful. I was one of the many ambushed by the new symlink (though maybe ambush isn't the right word here). I did a make && make install while also doing some development in another window. It didn't take me too long to figure out what was happening, but I can imagine a noob being stumped for hours trying to figure out what happened and why. Incidentally I'm very excited about io.js!

[snostorm]

I see nodejs/node#631 has been deferred to us. Maybe time to give this some new life? Anyway, it is on our radar for the WG meeting, let's find somebody to adopt it and get it written in the days following.

[snostorm]

Still open and still relevant in many ways. Meta issue #264 is blocking the desire to create new content until we improve systems.

[fhemberger]

I guess we can close this issue now. Any objections?

[bnb]

This is an issue that can be handled by the Docs WG. I've marked it as invalid and docs to ensure its responsibility is handed to the Docs WG. If you want to discuss this issue, see nodejs/docs#10.