Question regarding how software is installed in Linux, that being where does it go? Unless I'm mistaken, when you install a program in linux, you can either use a package (rpm) or compile it on your computer using the source code. When you do, where does the program run from? Is this like the glory days of DOS where everything stays in it's own directory, or does stuff get copied to other places on the hard drive, like the Program Files in windoze? Is there a registry type thing? While I'm on the topic, where are programs stored for various distros for that matter. Is it all in /usr or /etc?

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks!

go to a console and type $PATH this will show you the default type install directories the really main ones are /bin /sbin /usr/bin /usr/sbin though when installing from source there are many programs that will simply install into their own directory but you can change this behaviour in the makefile or with different configure options no there is no registry /etc is used to store configuration files and such sometimes though a large program will simply make its own directory that it like to install in such as xfree kde or gnome