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this post was submitted on 20 Apr 2024
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Windows program data file structure has always been the wild west.
Don’t forget about the hidden ProgramData directory at the root of the file system. Ableton Live likes to install there for some ungodly reason.
Selects separate drive for install
Adobe: "Imma, pretend I didn't see that"
Always remember,
C:\ProgramDatais the eqivalent of/etcin Linux. If they don't know where to put/hide shit, but needs admin priviliges to edit and users can only read, you put it inC:\ProgramData.I think programdata is closer to /usr/lib or maybe /var/lib.
You almost never see config files in programdata.
Config files that are meant to be used as sane defaults for new user accounts, yes. Config files that are meant to be manually edited, no.
Besides, there are a lot of examples of configs that are saved in ProgramData, like, let's say, registration info for proprietery programs (of course, this info needs to be shared amongst users, so your safest bet is ProgramData). Hidden by default, makes it perfect for storing everything the program is trying to hide from the user.
Don't forget that there's a hidden system junction at
C:\ProgramData\Application Datathat points toC:\ProgramData. Because everyone loves loops in their filesystem. Of courseC:\Users\All Usersis also a junction toC:\ProgramData. This kills updatedb in WSL.Don't forget
%USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Programs, where some programs get installed to because the developer doesn't want to make it a system wide installation.Yeah, the Documents config file/dir pisses me off the most as well!
Game save data? No, my documents.
Application config files? Again, my documents.
Temporary documents I don't care about keeping? Downloads, duh.
My actual documents? Desktop.
My desktop? Turned icons off because it was too messy.
Just another day using Windows...
I have to say I love having no desktop. Something about watching my coworkers become dependent on it is neurotic.
Agreed. It's much nicer to see your wallpaper than a mess of mismatched icons that may need to be occasionally clicked.
Same here. I don't need icons, just press
Winand type in the program. I just gotta pray for Windows to not open Edge and search in Bing.If you're using Windows, you can get a much better experience by ditching the Microsoft start menu entirely.
Everything Search to index files and Flow Launcher for searching files and applications. You can even make it open when you press the windows key.
Or if you still want a start menu, Start11 is worth paying for to get away from Microsoft's ad-ridden crapware they call the start menu. It even supports using Everything for showing file results.
Flow Launcher seems pretty cool. I'll try it out. Thanks!
System wide config for an application? Lets put that under C:\users*?????
And Linux isn't? There's definitely not a central location either.
Agreed, but the number of places where to search for the config is not as big as in Windows. And there is the fact that most software is open source, so you could always check where the application saves it's data.