[plug] Easy Installation: Linux Desktop Market

[Alex Nordstrom]

Thursday, 27 October 2005 12:32, simon wrote:
> What is the idea behind /opt?
>
> I cant see any reason for having it, isnt that what /usr/local is
> for?

http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.2/fhs-3.12.html

/usr/local is still subdivided into /usr/local/bin, usr/local/share, and 
so on just like in the regular directory tree, whereas /opt, apparently 
a System V legacy concept, mandates a structure such that all files 
pertaining to a (usually manually installed) package reside 
in /opt/<package>.

In other words, /opt does not separate static and dynamic files or 
configuration and executable files. This is, as stated, a Bad Idea. 
There is a reason even Microsoft is moving away from the approach of 
putting everything in C:\PROGRA~1\PACKAGE to generally sticking only 
static data there and keeping dynamic data in the Application Data 
folder or whatever the they call it these days.

-- 
Alex Nordstrom
http://lx.n3.net/
Please do not CC me in followups; I am subscribed to plug.
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