When building RPM packages, always avoid using the root account. Fedora 11 configures non-root building by default. For instructions on patching and rebuilding source RPMs as a regular user, see: How to patch and recompile a source RPM
When building RPMs, avoid using the root account. Fedora 11 configures non-root packaging by default. On other systems, create a .rpmmacros file in your home directory with the following line: %_topdir %{getenv:HOME}/rpmbuild As an added bonus for systems with multilib architectures (such as x86_64), add this format string to .rpmmacros: %_solve_name_fmt %{?_solve_pkgsdir}/%%{NAME}-%%{VERSION}-%%{RELEASE}.%%{ARCH} Reference: How to patch and recompile a source RPM