I am seeing lots of questions and confusion about how to build
packages from source based on Fuerte Ubuntu binaries.

The binary install page tells how to set things up to run packages
that are distributed as Debian binaries:

 http://www.ros.org/wiki/fuerte/Installation/Ubuntu

Even the source install page, mainly tells how to build and install
some ROS core components.

Many people need to do more than that. After installing the binaries,
they want to build some other packages from source. While section 1.6
gives some hints of what to do next, it does not provide a complete
list of commands that will definitely work, if followed.

People need to know how to make overlays and build from them. Several
techniques that worked before no longer do. The common trick of
copying one's previous setup scripts and .rosinstall files,
substituting "fuerte" for "electric" definitely does *not* work.

If I knew exactly what to say, I would update the page, myself. It
works for me, but clearly not for everyone.

I am posting here to get some discussion and ideas. Perhaps each
install page should end with a link to some common page containing
example rosws commands.
-- 
 joq