Linux File Structure

[EmperorNero]

Okay, here's what I don't get about Linux. I write this not to whine, but to get enlightened.
I recently tried to switch from Win to Linux because I like practically everything about Linux better.
But the file structure is confusing to me. With that I mean, that I used to install programs into c:\Programs\<Program>.
So NetBeans would be in c:\Programs\NetBeans and OpenOffice would be in c:\Programs\OpenOffice.
And I like that order for some reason. (It makes the voices go away. )
In Linux when I install something, where does it go?
There might be a structure, but I haven't figured it out.
Can you enlighten me what this "/" and mounting is all about.

[i92guboj]

In linux files are organized depending on their function, rather than "wherever the packager wants", which is the only criteria in windows, and that is the cause why you end with software in 500 different places.

For example, the basic system binaries goes into /bin, the ones that only root is supposed to use goes in /sbin, /usr/bin and /usr/sbin are analogous that for files that are not needed for the basic system. Usually the kind of tools that regular user will use the most. In /usr/share/docs you will find docs, in /usr/share/man the manual pages. in /etc config files only, mostly plain text files. In /tmp temporal stuff, in /var stuff that changes quite frequently like auxiliar files for your package manager, mailing, databases, web data, print queues, /home is for the user home directories, something similar to what you'd call "My documents" in windows.

It's just the way it is, though some seems not to agree with that, like the people from GoboLinux.

There's a standard: Filesystem Hierarchy Standard

Though obviously, like with any other standard, no distro accomplishes it 100%, anyway, depending on how you interpret it...

[computerophil]

Okay, here's what I don't get about Linux. I write this not to whine, but to get enlightened.
I recently tried to switch from Win to Linux because I like practically everything about Linux better.
But the file structure is confusing to me. With that I mean, that I used to install programs into c:\Programs\<Program>.
So NetBeans would be in c:\Programs\NetBeans and OpenOffice would be in c:\Programs\OpenOffice.
And I like that order for some reason. (It makes the voices go away. )
In Linux when I install something, where does it go?
There might be a structure, but I haven't figured it out.
Can you enlighten me what this "/" and mounting is all about.

You have another possibility if you like Linux but wan't another file structure it might be that GoboLinux is just the right thing for you.
It works also as a LiveCD so try it out.

[EmperorNero]

Thanks guys. What I wondered is whether I can get the same control over that filesystem as in one where I exactly know where everything is.

[Hal343]

I find that with linux I have much more control over my file structure than I do with Windows, Once I learned where things are stored, using a few commands I can uninstall any programs I don't use and they don't leave little bits in a registry to give error messages every time the computer boots up.(Symantic for one) That is only one "feature" of Windows I don't miss at all.

[egan]

<rant>
Frankly, I love Linux because the control it gives me over the filesystem.

Everything makes sense in the system directories: essential programs for users and root in /bin, and /sbin resp., non-essential programs in /usr/bin, and /usr/sbin. Games in /usr/games. All the resources in /usr/share, all the configuration in /etc. This kind of organization is not afforded in Windows, where if you are lucky the configuration lies in the same deep directory as the program. In Linux, if I need the icon for vim, I know where to find it. In Windows, I don't even know if such a thing exists.

But the really great part about Linux is my ability to organize my home directory how ever I want it, unlike Windows' C:\Documents and Settings\User\My Files crap. And Linux has no spaces or uppercase letters, and all the paths are nice and short. Several of my programs were crippled in Windows due the their inability to read "Documents and Settings".
</rant>

[engless]

Try typing from a shell:

whereis bash

whereis kde

etc, etc, for more info:

info whereis

[tetsujin]

You have another possibility if you like Linux but wan't another file structure it might be that GoboLinux is just the right thing for you.
It works also as a LiveCD so try it out.

Yeah, I was gonna suggest gobolinux - for those who don't know, it's a distribution in which the directory structure is broken up by package - so all the files for gcc would be in /programs/gcc or something... And then to get everything on the PATH and assure compatibility with regular Linux filesystem layout, they do symlinks all over the place, provide (but hide) /bin, /sbin, etc.

I think it's an interesting idea - one of the things I don't like about the regular Linux filesystem layout is that since each package has files all over the place (that is, each package is not neatly encapsulated the way a Mac OS X app is), it's harder to run multiple versions of an individual package - unless the package is already set up for this.

[bigtomrodney]

Thanks guys. What I wondered is whether I can get the same control over that filesystem as in one where I exactly know where everything is.

One of the best things about Unix like systems such as Linux is the nice clean line dividing the system and the user. You get to stay within your /home directory in complete safety free to do what you want without impairing the system, and conversely the system does its thing safe in the knowledge that users won't get in its way.

Now I know coming from Windows that seems weird; it was for me too at first. I liked creating a directory on the C: drive for piling my crap in. I liked extra partitions for specific purposes. But in Linux there's the greater notion of sharing everything, so if some application has a library or needs it, shouldn't it be available to everything? Rather than each application installing its own copy of some runtime in their directory within %programfiles%, wouldn't it be better if it was in say, /lib or /usr/lib?

Between sharing and that nice seperation between the system and users it actually starts to make sense and pay off. My Dad kept asking what opt and mnt were for. I told him everything goes in the home directory and he too found that a bit odd. But then slowly there was the benefit of having one clean location for all of your data. And no accidentally deleting a chunk of the Program Files directory either

[elija]

The best intro to the Linux filesystem can be found at Take the Linux Filesystem Tour | TuxRadar (well it's the best I have found)