| Author |
what do these names stand for
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| hi
I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
what do these directory names stand for e.g.
/var
/usr
/etc
/proc
/initrd
/opt
i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
silly and useless but still.................)
Thanx in advance
tc
| |
| Larry Qualig 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
|
x wrote:
> hi
> I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
> what do these directory names stand for e.g.
> /var
> /usr
> /etc
> /proc
> /initrd
> /opt
> i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
> I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
> silly and useless but still.................)
http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html
> Thanx in advance
> tc
| |
| Todd Knarr 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| In comp.os.linux.misc x <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> wrote:
> /var
Variable data. Traditionally Unix has been arranged so that / and /usr
could be mounted read-only, so logfiles and other writable stuff had to
be somewhere that could be mounted writable. Thus /var to hold things
that couldn't be on read-only filesystems while the system was running.
> /usr
Nobody's sure where the "user" reference came from. Traditionally /usr
is where the bulk of the system software's installed. Back in the day
when disks were small and reliability not so good, the root filesystem
(and directories like /bin, /sbin etc.) was kept down to the minimum
needed to actually boot the system. /usr was a seperate filesystem on a
different, larger disk, and got mounted during the boot process. The
idea was that in an emergency you could boot the system and get to a
single-user command prompt even if /usr wasn't available.
Related to this is the "bin" vs. "sbin" directories. Traditionally /bin
(and /usr/bin etc.) have contained dynamically-linked versions of
programs. /sbin by contrast was where statically-linked versions of
critical programs (that needed to work even when libc.so had been hosed)
were put. Canonically the boot process would use the "sbin" versions
so problems with system libraries wouldn't keep the box from booting,
and "bin" would then be slipped into the path.
> /etc
"Etcetera". Config files.
> /proc
Pseudo-directory for process information.
> /initrd
Initial ramdisk. Not used during operation.
> /opt
Optional software. This is a Sun oddity.
--
death.net: because for some problems there's only one solution.
| |
| Roger Leigh 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
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"x" <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> writes:
For goodness sake, don't crosspost such a trivial question to so many
newsgroups! I've dropped the advocacy group, and you can probably
lose most of the others.
> I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux.
That's ancient. You will be far better off with a current release.
Why not try Fedora Core 4, Debian 3.1 (sarge) or any other
contemporary release?
> I was wondering what do these directory names stand for e.g.
> /var
> /usr
> /etc
> /proc
> /initrd
> /opt
> i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
Why? The names are funnily enough related to the contents. See
http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html
for the definitive guide.
> I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
> silly and useless but still.................)
Any introductory UNIX text will tell you, as will the introductory
documents in the LDP,
e.g. http://www.tldp.org/LDP/sag/html/dir-tree-overview.html .
Regards,
Roger
- --
Roger Leigh
Printing on GNU/Linux? http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/
Debian GNU/Linux http://www.debian.org/
GPG Public Key: 0x25BFB848. Please sign and encrypt your mail.
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| Kevin Collins 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| In article <zvVsf.1666$V.158@fed1read04>, Todd Knarr wrote:
> In comp.os.linux.misc x <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Variable data. Traditionally Unix has been arranged so that / and /usr
> could be mounted read-only, so logfiles and other writable stuff had to
> be somewhere that could be mounted writable. Thus /var to hold things
> that couldn't be on read-only filesystems while the system was running.
>
>
> Nobody's sure where the "user" reference came from. Traditionally /usr
> is where the bulk of the system software's installed. Back in the day
> when disks were small and reliability not so good, the root filesystem
> (and directories like /bin, /sbin etc.) was kept down to the minimum
> needed to actually boot the system. /usr was a seperate filesystem on a
> different, larger disk, and got mounted during the boot process. The
> idea was that in an emergency you could boot the system and get to a
> single-user command prompt even if /usr wasn't available.
>
> Related to this is the "bin" vs. "sbin" directories. Traditionally /bin
> (and /usr/bin etc.) have contained dynamically-linked versions of
> programs. /sbin by contrast was where statically-linked versions of
> critical programs (that needed to work even when libc.so had been hosed)
> were put. Canonically the boot process would use the "sbin" versions
> so problems with system libraries wouldn't keep the box from booting,
> and "bin" would then be slipped into the path.
>
>
> "Etcetera". Config files.
>
>
> Pseudo-directory for process information.
>
>
> Initial ramdisk. Not used during operation.
>
>
> Optional software. This is a Sun oddity.
NOT! All "non-core" software packages install under /opt in HP-UX, too...
Kevin
--
Unix Guy Consulting, LLC
Unix and Linux Automation, Shell, PERL and CGI scripting
http://www.unix-guy.com
| |
| Reinhard Gimbel 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
|
Hello community !
Todd Knarr wrote
:
>
> Nobody's sure where the "user" reference came from. Traditionally /usr
> is where the bulk of the system software's installed. Back in the day
> when disks were small and reliability not so good, the root filesystem
> (and directories like /bin, /sbin etc.) was kept down to the minimum
> needed to actually boot the system. /usr was a seperate filesystem on a
> different, larger disk, and got mounted during the boot process. The
> idea was that in an emergency you could boot the system and get to a
> single-user command prompt even if /usr wasn't available.
>
> Related to this is the "bin" vs. "sbin" directories. Traditionally /bin
> (and /usr/bin etc.) have contained dynamically-linked versions of
> programs. /sbin by contrast was where statically-linked versions of
> critical programs (that needed to work even when libc.so had been hosed)
> were put. Canonically the boot process would use the "sbin" versions
> so problems with system libraries wouldn't keep the box from booting,
> and "bin" would then be slipped into the path.
"usr" is an abbreviation for _U_nix _S_pecial _R_esources and is *not* a
crippled version of USER
--
Never give up !
Best regards,
Reinhard.
| |
| Peter T. Breuer 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| In comp.os.linux.misc x <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
> what do these directory names stand for e.g.
They stand fr what it is obvious that they stand for!
> /var
variable
> /usr
user
> /etc
etc
> /proc
processes
> /initrd
initial ram disk
> /opt
optional.
> i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
Why not? And how about reading the FS hierarchy standard?
> I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
How come you can't guess? I just did!
Peter
| |
| Enrique Perez-Terron 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 18:53:01 +0100, x <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> wrote:
> hi
> I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
> what do these directory names stand for e.g.
> /var
> /usr
> /etc
> /proc
> /initrd
> /opt
> i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
> I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
> silly and useless but still.................)
> Thanx in advance
/var - variable.
/usr - user
/etc - et cetera
/proc - process
/initrd - initial ram disk
/opt - option(al)
-Enrique
| |
| Lew Pitcher 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
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x wrote:
> hi
> I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
> what do these directory names stand for e.g.
> /var
VARiable files
> /usr
USeR related files
> /etc
ET Cetera (miscellaneous) files
> /proc
PROCessor information
> /initrd
INITial Ram Disk
> /opt
OPTional files
- --
Lew Pitcher
Master Codewright & JOAT-in-training | GPG public key available on request
Registered Linux User #112576 (http://counter.li.org/)
Slackware - Because I know what I'm doing.
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| Lew Pitcher 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
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Reinhard Gimbel wrote:
>
> Hello community !
>
> Todd Knarr wrote
> :
>
>
>
> "usr" is an abbreviation for _U_nix _S_pecial _R_esources and is *not* a
> crippled version of USER
Sorry, but Kernighan & Pike disagree with you. As do the authors of the Bell
Labs "Unix Programmer's Manual" (for 7th Edition Unix)
"Unix Special Resources" (or sometimes "Unix System Resources") seems to be a
retronym coined by the BSD people. The original /usr directory contained files
relating to USeRs (including the user home directories), not system or special
"resources".
- --
Lew Pitcher
Master Codewright & JOAT-in-training | GPG public key available on request
Registered Linux User #112576 (http://counter.li.org/)
Slackware - Because I know what I'm doing.
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| Reinhard Gimbel 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| Lew Pitcher schrieb:
> Reinhard Gimbel wrote:
>
>
> Sorry, but Kernighan & Pike disagree with you. As do the authors of the Bell
> Labs "Unix Programmer's Manual" (for 7th Edition Unix)
>
> "Unix Special Resources" (or sometimes "Unix System Resources") seems to be a
> retronym coined by the BSD people. The original /usr directory contained files
> relating to USeRs (including the user home directories), not system or special
> "resources".
Oops ...
Never trust any one at any time;-)
My first contact to unixes had been in the mid-80 of last century with
early Sun workstations. And SunOS was based on BSD ...
There alsways had been some discussions about that theme, but I finally
could convince friends/colleagues from my (half-)knowledge ...
Thanks for the lesson ! Even 20 years later ...
--
Never give up !
Gruß,
Reinhard.
| |
| Peter T. Breuer 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| In comp.os.linux.misc Jesse F. Hughes <jesse@phiwumbda.org> wrote:
> "Peter T. Breuer" <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> writes:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> [...]
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Nope. Unix System Resources. Formerly Unix Source Repository.
Puhleeese. False.
> See <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki//usr>
It's wrong if it says so. /usr/foo was where the user directories were
(later where the user applications were too). The "Unix System
Resources" guff is some complete bullshit dreamed up later by goodness
kows who.
> Not user.
False.
Peter
| |
| Peter Hayes 2005-12-29, 6:04 pm |
| Todd Knarr <tknarr@silverglass.org> wrote:
> In comp.os.linux.misc x <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Optional software. This is a Sun oddity.
SuSE use /opt for the commercial software included in the pay-for
versions. Also things like OpenOffice.
--
Peter
| |
|
| [snip]
> Sorry, but Kernighan & Pike disagree with you. As do the authors of the Bell
> Labs "Unix Programmer's Manual" (for 7th Edition Unix)
>
> "Unix Special Resources" (or sometimes "Unix System Resources") seems to be a
> retronym coined by the BSD people. The original /usr directory contained files
> relating to USeRs (including the user home directories), not system or special
> "resources".
>
"retronym". I like that.
| |
| Linønut 2005-12-29, 8:52 pm |
| After takin' a swig o' grog, x belched out this bit o' wisdom:
> hi
> I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
> what do these directory names stand for e.g.
> /var
> /usr
> /etc
> /proc
> /initrd
> /opt
> i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
> I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
> silly and useless but still.................)
Sorry.
http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man7/hier.7.html
hier(7) - Linux man page
NAME
hier - Description of the file system hierarchy
This really isn't a linux command, though. There's a different one that
does the same thing. I can't remember it, though, and it's killing me!
--
I love the smell of code compiling in the morning. It smells like... Freedom.
| |
| Linønut 2005-12-29, 8:52 pm |
| After takin' a swig o' grog, Linønut belched out this bit o' wisdom:
> http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man7/hier.7.html
>
> hier(7) - Linux man page
> NAME
> hier - Description of the file system hierarchy
>
> This really isn't a linux command, though. There's a different one that
> does the same thing. I can't remember it, though, and it's killing me!
Doh. Type "man hier" or "man 7 hier"
--
I love the smell of code compiling in the morning. It smells like... Freedom.
| |
| Lew Pitcher 2005-12-29, 8:52 pm |
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Linønut wrote:
> After takin' a swig o' grog, x belched out this bit o' wisdom:
>
>
>
>
> Sorry.
>
> http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man7/hier.7.html
>
> hier(7) - Linux man page
> NAME
> hier - Description of the file system hierarchy
>
> This really isn't a linux command, though. There's a different one that
> does the same thing. I can't remember it, though, and it's killing me!
>
~ $ uname -a
Linux bitsie 2.4.29 #8 Thu Jan 20 16:36:28 PST 2005 i686 unknown unknown
GNU/Linux
~ $ man hier
HIER(7) Linux Programmer's Manual HIER(7)
NAME
hier - Description of the file system hierarchy
DESCRIPTION
A typical Linux system has, among others, the following
directories:
/ This is the root directory. This is where the
whole tree starts.
...
or perhaps you are thinking of "info"
~ $ uname -a
Linux bitsie 2.4.29 #8 Thu Jan 20 16:36:28 PST 2005 i686 unknown unknown
GNU/Linux
~ $ info hier
File: *manpages*, Node: hier, Up: (dir)
HIER(7) Linux Programmer's Manual HIER(7)
NAME
hier - Description of the file system hierarchy
DESCRIPTION
A typical Linux system has, among others, the following
directories:
/ This is the root directory. This is where the
whole tree starts.
- --
Lew Pitcher
Master Codewright & JOAT-in-training | GPG public key available on request
Registered Linux User #112576 (http://counter.li.org/)
Slackware - Because I know what I'm doing.
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| Peter T. Breuer 2005-12-30, 5:55 pm |
| In comp.os.linux.misc In~aki Silanes <isilanes@bluebottle.com> wrote:
> seani wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> I like its synonym better: backronym.
You are claiming that an acronym is an antonym of a backronym? I
thought the latter was what you found in the last row in a cinema.
Peter
| |
| Cortes Banks 2005-12-30, 5:55 pm |
| In comp.os.linux.misc Peter T. Breuer <ptb@oboe.it.uc3m.es> wrote:
> In comp.os.linux.misc In~aki Silanes <isilanes@bluebottle.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> You are claiming that an acronym is an antonym of a backronym? I
> thought the latter was what you found in the last row in a cinema.
>
Yeech!
| |
| Tommy Reynolds 2005-12-30, 5:55 pm |
| On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 18:01:03 +0000, Todd Knarr wrote:
> Nobody's sure where the "user" reference came from.
Files were chosen to be placed in "/usr" iff they were needed after
the system went multi-user.
Cheers
| |
|
| "x" <cupidisdangerous@hotmail.com> writes:
>hi
>I am using redhat 9.0 at my home for learning linux. I was wondering
>what do these directory names stand for e.g.
>/var
>/usr
>/etc
>/proc
>/initrd
>/opt
>i am not interested in the type of files which these directories hold.
>I just want to know that what these abbreviations stand for. (may sound
>silly and useless but still.................)
>Thanx in advance
>tc
They stand for themselves.
Originally /var was for variable, /usr was for user, /etc was for etcetera,
/proc for procedure, init for initial or initialize, /opt for optional.
But those had little significance.
NOw they are names in their own right. they mean what they are defined to
mean.
/var/ is for temporary or log or spool system files.
/usr is for most stuff
/etc/ for setup data
/proc is a special file system which is a view into the kernel (Ie files
here are actually variables in memory in the kernel)
/initrd does not exist on Mandrake
/opt is for user installed programs often.
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