/usr/share

sulekha

the following is the explanation i have read about /usr/share in a book

Data for installed applications that is architecture−independent and can be shared between systems. A number of subdirectories with equivalents in `/usr' also appear here, including `/usr/share/doc', `/usr/share/info', and `/usr/share/icons'.

how correct is this explanation ?


secesh

http://tldp.org/HOWTO/HighQuality-Apps-HOWTO/fhs.html

Quote:
/usr/share/doc, /usr/share/man

The "share" word is used because what is under /usr/share is platform independent, and can be shared among several machines across a network filesystem. Therefore this is the place for manuals, documentations, examples etc.

I'd say your explanation is fairly good.

ryedunn

That being said, would it be purdent for me to store my music files in /usr/share/mp3 on a server?
I know many people might want to put these in a /home dir but which would best follow the FHS?


Lew pitcher

I believe that /usr/local/share/mp3 would be the canonical directory to use.The /usr/local tree is reserved for /local/ files (that is, files that are not derived from, or manipulated by the distribution or it's installers) that can be shared between users and processes



dave

In an ideal world it should still be a separate partition so that it can survive an OS upgrade/reinstall. When I upgrade Fedora I usually let it format everything except the /home partition to make sure it's a clean install. Having a partition mounted at /usr/local/share/mp3 would also work.


snova

No better. Use your home directory.

The /usr/local tree is identical (well, almost) to the /usr tree. The sole difference is that /usr is meant for the package manager, and /usr/local is meant for programs you install yourself.
Programs, not data. Never put any personal files outside of your home directory.

tim greer

You don't need to store any file in any specific area, though some common paths for some specific types of files are usually best. For files such as mp3 files, however, there's no specific area, but I'd personally store them in a home directory or some such similar area.If you plan to share those files with other users on the system, than that's different. If you want to store them for personal use/reasons, store them in your home directory. I don't believe the FHS is relevant
for audio files, again, unless you intend to provide some (possibly default) access to other users on a shared server.

darren salt

I'd say so; something like /usr/local/share/mp3 or /srv/mp3, I think.



nevrial

You can put them there, but then remember to chmod them properly so that no one having access to it erases it.


laurenz albe

The file system hierarchy is a guideline rather than a codex, and it's largely a matter of taste where you put a certain data file.

The idea is that /home is for everything that belongs to a certain user,and /usr/share is stuff that is useful for everybody.

One guideline is maybe that a file in /usr/share should belong to root -it should be stuff that is here to stay and not be changed on the whim
of a user.

So if you have a constant set of mp3 files that every user can depend on, /usr/share/mp3 doesn't sound wrong. On the other hand, if you add and delete mp3 files all the time (I hope you are not root when you acquire them), they should be stored in a directory that belongs to a mortal user (under /home).


noiance

HELL NO!!!
If you upgrade or switch your OS bye, bye bye MP3s if you didn't make a backup.

IMHO, /home/MP3 would be the correct place for sharing the mp3s on the server. Change the permission and share options to allow access to /home/MP3.

cariboo907

/usr is not the place to store normal user accessable files. The directory is for executeables, the libraries they need, configuration files and documentation. I would suggest putting your mp3 files in a subdirectory of /home, like /home/mp3 then you can set the permission of the directory to world readable with having to worry about accidentally changine permissions of a directory in /usr, the may hose your installation.


dcstar

Quite right, never EVER use system directories for user files.

People, you have a system (Linux) that is flexible and allows you to do stupid things as well as intelligent things, so don't do stupid things by mucking around with system directories and files because they contain a name that saves you typing a few characters somewhere else.

Just read some of the posts in forums like this - bemoaning their loss of data/having to reinstall their system - if you need a lesson in never tampering in places that you shouldn't.