This package requires its hostname-patch to be applied before you can install it. This patch suppresses the build of the hostname program which will be installed later with the net-tools package. The hostname program from the net-tools package is a much better version (and in some cases even required since it supports options that are needed by some programs such as XFree86). Apply the patch: patch -Np1 -i ../sh-utils-&sh-utils-hostname-patch-version;.patch Prepare Shellutils to be compiled: ./configure --prefix=/usr Continue with compiling the package: make Install the package: make install Finally, move some of the programs to more appropriate locations: mv /usr/bin/{basename,date,echo,false,pwd} /bin && mv /usr/bin/{sleep,stty,su,test,true,uname} /bin && mv /usr/bin/chroot /usr/sbin There is a command installed in this package which is named test. It is often used in shell scripts to evaluate conditions, but is more often encountered in the form of [ condition ]. These brackets are built into the bash interpreter, but the FHS dictates that there should be a [ binary. Create it by running: ln -s test /bin/[