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Dangerous compared to what?

./configure && make && sudo make install?

apt install xxxxxx?

Downloading and running an exe?

pip install git+https://github.com/somerandorepo/package-name-seems-legit.gi...

You download and run arbitrary code without reviewing it all the time. Why does this specific method seem more dangerous to you than any other?

https://www.seancassidy.me/dont-pipe-to-your-shell.html

For one.

http://overtone.github.io/emacs-live/doc-installation.html

Preferred installation is just cloning it yourself.

You can look at the script first to see what it does

That doesn't always work, and is still quite dangerous in the (abstract), usually your other programmers are friendly, but you should definitely be careful about it.

Proof of concept: https://jordaneldredge.com/blog/one-way-curl-pipe-sh-install...

The idea is that you download the script, read through the downloaded file, then run the downloaded file. Obviously if you download it two different times the server can serve you two different versions.

Ah interesting, thanks for sharing that