That's exactly the problem. This leads to mess. The Windows model of C:\Program Files\<app name> is much better.

But why are many Windows programs under C:\Windows\System32 then, if Windows has only a single model? Why aren't all Steam-provided (for example) games in a single location? Or, if they are, does Windows really have a single model?

Yes, the Linux/POSIX model is confusing, but the split is to segregate administrative domains:

- / and /usr are the domain of the distribution. As a user, you should never install there. The administrative group is root.

- /usr/local is the domain of the machine admin. If the machine is yours to manage, you can install software there. The administrative group is staff.

- /opt/$vendor is the domain of third-party vendors. Each vendor (like Steam, Eclipse, Arduino Studio) can get its own subdirectory and its own administrative user group.

How would you achieve the same on Windows? How do you make sure the Adobe updater can only install new versions of CS, but not surreptitiously install a new (free!) spyware package under C:\Windows? How would you allow certain power users to share one Google Chrome installation, allow each of them to update it, but not let them install additional software system-wide?

Okay, but what about ProgramData? I have enough programs that put their junk in there instead of Program Files, and others that make their own directories on the root of the drive (driver installers are really bad about this).

I think the best model I've seen for consistent binary locations is the 'Applications' folder in Mac OS X, but it fails as well by retaining the /usr/bin elsewhere.

When you download a portable app (just a bare .exe), do you make a folder for it and drop it in program files? (quite possible, you'd just be unusual) If not, why does Windows get a free pass?

Except instead of config files, Windows has the registry.

Also, as mentioned by the siblings to thia comment, the 'mess' has a purpose, and is less messy than it appears.

Want to manually install something? Into /usr/local it goes. Done.

The only way to handle this that I've been really impressed with is Mac's "Applications" folder. Unfortunately, I dislike most other things about Mac.

No, it frees you to pick whatever unmessy solution you want.

You can do `configure --prefix=/Program\ Files/<app>` if you want.

If I am not writing all of my installation scripts by hand, because that would be really intense, then every folder gets filled with random bits of software.

Offering too many similar choices leads to mess. There's nothing fundamentally different between using one or more of these options and using the only option, except that in the second case there isn't any opportunity to make mess.

> You can do `configure --prefix=/Program\ Files/<app>` if you want.

Thanks for the tip! Can't do that with distro repo software though :-/

Use Gnu Stow to keep the random bits contained in their own app directory that is symlinked into the /usr/local tree. Then you can manage everything without leaving orphan files behind.

Very cool

> then every folder gets filled with random bits of software.

What does that even mean? When you install something, you put it where you want it.

If you don’t like where your distribution puts files, choose a different one. Not all of them use the same convention.

All (except aforementioned GoboLinux) use FHS.