help me understanding linux
 

hello guys and thanks in advance ...

in Windows all programs are installed in c:\ program files

but where does linux install all programs so i can look at them?

can some give a site where they lay out this information comparing the files structure from windows point of view to linux...


as nebee this will be helpful

thanks all

As an FC (rpm-based distro) user, one way to look at your installed programs is by querying the rpm database.

Try the command (you will need to run it as root).

This will show you a list of all your installed programs that rpm is aware of. If a particular package in the list interests you, you can get more information with When querying packages with -qi, you can leave off version information in the name. So, for example, instead of using the command you can get by using This is probably a lot more comprehensive than anything you will find in Windows's program files.

To answer your original question, many installed binary files live in /usr/bin. I don't know that poking around in that directory will be very useful though.

thanks guys for the promptly reply.....

To add a little more info. Other executable application (program) locations are: /bin for general applications, /sbin and /usr/sbin for administrative system applications and /user/X11R6/bin for X Window based applications as well as the aforementioned /usr/bin for user installed applications. The type of application and where it is located is not 100% guaranteed. You can also do a whereis command to usually find its location like this: whereis gimp. On my system the resulting return is: gimp: /usr/bin/gimp /etc/gimp /usr/lib/gimp /usr/share/gimp /usr/share/man/man1/gimp.1.gz, where /usr/bin/gimp is the executable and the other locations are support scripts, libraries, links, manuals, etc..

By the way, I forgot to mention one other common place a binary executable can be located and that is: /usr/local/bin :D

In both Windows and Linux, it usually doesn't matter where the binaries or executables are for the programs. If the program is properly installed, you can run it from the Run command (in both Windows and Linux) by just typing the name of the application. For example, in both Windows and Linux, if I type firefox into the Run dialogue, Firefox starts up. I don't have to specify a path (/usr/bin/firefox or C:\Program Files\Mozilla\Firefox.exe).

wonderful guys..... really happy for the comments it really help me out......



thanks guys...........