Does the linux file structure work?

[starcannon]

A beautiful thing about linux is, that if you don't like the way something is, you have every tool required to make it your own.

You could feasibly rename everything in the file system to "make sense", pretty much might require building a distro from the ground up, but its definitely possible.

One could also do a little linking if its strictly a cosmetic condition, build a link to /bin and name the link /Programs.

I'm also uncertain where the idea that windows doesn't spread files everywhere came from, but all said and done programs and operating systems do things in similar ways across all platforms, commonly used library files are stored where other programs that may need them can find them, increasing performance and minimizing space. Don't need glibc to exist in every folder of ever program that would use it, so it lives in a folder that anything that needs it can call on to get it. Uninstalling again not so rough, and in my opinion Linux is the easiest to uninstall, most programs packaged, blobbed, or compiled have an uninstaller of some sort, once thats done, its uninstalled, unlike windows where after you uninstall the program you then have to comb through directories and registries to clean out all the junk that gets left behind.

Anyway, I'd say give the Linux file structure a chance, spend some time looking through it, get a feel for it, and in no time you may find your self asking why anyone would do it any other way, worked for me.

Just my 2cents on the subject, and at the rate of inflation I probably owe someone an apology.

[aysiu]

I'm also uncertain where the idea that windows doesn't spread files everywhere came from

It gives you that illusion, anyway. I still remember years ago, when I knew very little about computers, I thought I could just copy the C:\Program Files\nameofprogram folder from one computer to another computer and keep the program without reinstalling it. Didn't work, of course. There are registry settings and .dlls everywhere.

[smartboyathome]

With Gobolinux, you actually could, but IMO there are other problems I have with it which make me repulsed by it. Right now I am trying to get my Arch Linux tricked out with Gobohide so that I can get everything the way I want it. Good thing I did install Gobolinux, it gave me its file system as a template.

[abhiroopb]

This article on DIGG.com has had a lot of discussion about windows/linux file systems, some of the points (from both sides) are interesting:

http://digg.com/linux_unix/Windows_Now_Open_Source

[worksofcraft]

Personally I think Windows file system is an abominable mess and the Unix FSH a well thought out and logically intelligent design.

My first gripe about Windows is that they fail to grasp the importance of separating read-only from read-write branches in their file hyrarchy.

Now if ALL your programs and executables were on read only drives (except when deliberately installing or upgrading), then you would be safe from viruses, you would probably never have to defragment and you could even run directly from read only media.

I agree that things like /mnt and /media could be merged but there are so many other things wrong with the Microsoft way... I fail to see how it could inspire any kind of reorganization

[cariboo]

@worksofcraft

Check the date of the post above yours. I don't think there is really any need to bring a 2 year old thread back to life. Closed.