The file locations for applications can often be modified before compilation (via the configure script). For packages like RPM and DEB, there is no need to worry about where the files go. Just install the package and run the app. Remember that you should be using Mandrake or compatible (e.g. Red Hat) packages. Other packages will probably work, but then again they may not. YMMV. The Filesystem Heirarchy Standard, part of the Linux Standard Base, seeks to make file locations standard across distros. On Fri, 7 Sep 2001 17:29:32 -0700 (PDT), Peter Rymshaw <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks for all the information and pointers, and my > apologies to all for all the verbal handwringing. > > I have just one specific question. Since these > directories *are* standardized (although moved around > a bit from one distr to the next, I think) does that > mean that when I install a software package that all > of the files will automatically go to their correct > directories, and that I don't need to worry about > this? I was under the impression that that was true > (and a big advantage) of RPM packages, which would > imply that it isn't true for others. Do I need to > worry about this? > > > > --- "Michael D. Viron" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > At 02:40 PM 09/07/2001 -0700, you wrote: > > >I'm overwelmed with the combination of newness and > > >choice in this Linux world, although it's generally > > >what I hoped for and I assume that it will just > > take > > >time. > > > > > >But one thing that I think is getting in my way is > > the > > >file system structure. First, I can't identify what > > >kind of file something is by its extension. > > Linux files actually don't have extensions (or at > > least not the 3 character > > extensions that dos is famous for), unless they are > > shell scripts > > (typically .sh), web files (usually .php, .html, or > > .css), image files > > (.gif, .jpg, .png), audio files (.mp3 or possibly > > .ogg), or archives > > (.tar.gz, .tgz, .bz2, or .zip) > > > > Second, I > > >don't know what kinds of files belong in etc say, > > or > > >bin, or whichever. If it's an executable, should be > > be > > >in home/bin, user bin, home/peter, ...? > > > > /etc is typically used for system initialization > > scripts (/etc/rc.d/*), > > configuration files (.*rc and *.conf, and sometimes > > conf.*), and home > > directory skeletons for the useradd command > > (/etc/skel/*). > > > > Executables are placed into many directories, which > > include /bin, /sbin, > > /usr/bin, /usr/sbin, /usr/local/bin, > > /usr/local/sbin, /opt, and sometimes > > under /usr/X11/bin and /home/$user/bin. > > > > /usr/local is the suggested place for software that > > you've compiled > > yourself from source .tar.gz or .tgz files, although > > some people also place > > this under /home/$user/bin . /usr/X11 is usually > > used only for GUI based > > Xwindows programs (not always true, but usually), > > while the other bin > > directories (/bin,/usr/bin,/usr/sbin, and /sbin) > > usually contain command > > line oriented programs. > > > > Then you have /var which contains log files for > > various servers (/var/log) > > and spools stuff for various servers (such as > > incoming and outgoing e-mail > > and so forth -- /var/spool), and which sometimes > > contains the web server > > root directory (/var/www/) > > > > /tmp is a global temporary directory, /dev is a > > directory with a lot of > > device files (stuff you don't want to delete), /root > > is the super-user's > > home directory. > > > > > > And what is > > >Lib? I thought at first that this was a library > > >section for documents, but see that it seems to be > > for > > >certain kinds of executables (files that other > > files > > >need?) > > > > /usr/lib and any other lib directories contain > > library (.so) files which > > allow you to run other programs. They are roughly > > equivalent to window > > .dll files. > > > > Docs are available for most everything -- they can > > be found under /usr/doc, > > or /usr/share/doc or you can visit the linuxdoc.org > > website which has all > > the HOWTo's, guides, and FAQs you could really ever > > want to read. If you > > want reading beyond that, I'm sure there are a lot > > of people on list that > > can suggest a number of books to read. > > > > Michael > > > > -- > > Michael Viron > > Registered Linux User #81978 > > Senior Systems & Administration Consultant > > Web Spinners, University of West Florida > > > > > > > Want to buy your Pack or Services from > MandrakeSoft? > > > > Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com > > > > > -- Sridhar Dhanapalan. "There are two major products that come from Berkeley: LSD and UNIX. We don't believe this to be a coincidence." -- Jeremy S. Anderson
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