Thanks Steve. I like that explanation. Jaguar, you can also check out http://www.mandrakeuser.org. Tom Berger, the site maintainer, also has a good page on this file structure topic. Matt >From: Steve Philp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [newbie] Re: general info on where files are kept >Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 22:26:01 -0500 > >Jaguar wrote: > > > > Is there a HOWTO on the basic file types, and where certain types are >located > > ie: as in *.DOC is a document, *.INI is an initialization file located >in the > > Windows SUB-DIR. > >You can usually tell what type of file it is by using the command: > > file <filename> > >It will respond with it's type. > >For beginners, system configuration files are in /etc. Files necessary >to boot the system are in /bin, /sbin, /lib, /boot, and /etc. System >administration files are in /sbin and /usr/sbin. Libraries are kept in >/usr/lib. The X Window System is stored in /usr/X11R6. Local software >installations typically go in /usr/local. Files that change frequently >get stored in /var. /tmp _used_ to be cleaned at each boot, but I'm not >sure if that's true anymore (and I'm not interested enough to check the >boot script). System daemons and other services are launched from >scripts within /etc/rc.d. /opt is typically used for large commercial >packages like StarOffice, etc. > >Hope that brief rundown gives you a general idea of things... > > > I guess what I would like is to understand the why's/where's of the file > > structure and naming convention's of Linux. Maybe knowing what is what >will > > allow me to get a better grip on Linux. As I see it, when I install a >new > > program, unless it creates a link TO the file in a menu, I have NO clue >where > > it ends up on the HD. Only using the FIND FILE can I try to narrow it >down, > > and even then I can't always find them...:( > >If the files come in an .rpm package, you can use the command: > > rpm -ql <package> > >to list the files contained in the package. If you find a file and >wonder what package it came from, you can use: > > rpm -qf <filename> > >To get a brief description of the package, use: > > rpm -qi <package> > > > Sorry to be long winded, but as a newbie, I am sure other's have similar > > problems, and understanding them might make it easier on me/us. > >There is a document called the Linux Filesystem Heirarchy which goes >into much more detail about the hows and whys of the filesystem layout. >If you ever get a free weekend and are still curious about it, do a web >search. It's a great document for understanding WHY things are placed >where they are. It's also a little frustrating to realize that the >thing is a couple years old and distributions STILL violate it's >suggestions. > >-- >Steve Philp >Network Administrator >Advance Packaging Corporation >[EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
