Public SourceMage Discussion List

[Eric Sandall <eric AT sandall.us>]

Mathieu L. wrote:
<snip>
> Question:
> Why do we install web stuff in /usr/share/www ?
> On other distros and on most guide/howtos I've seen it done in /var/www
> and it makes more sense to me because I see /var as the place where one
> stores important data (like all one webserver's contents). Also it makes
> backup easier on a server since one only has to backup /var to save all
> the logs and these aforementionned important data.

Depending on your interpretation of the FHS:

"The /usr/share hierarchy is for all read-only architecture independent
data files."[0]

and

"/var contains variable data files. This includes spool directories and
files, administrative and logging data, and transient and temporary files."
...
"Applications must generally not add directories to the top level of
/var. Such directories should only be added if they have some
system-wide implication, and in consultation with the FHS mailing list."[1]

One caveat that seems to support putting the web app files under /var is
"Game data stored in /usr/share/games must be purely static data. Any
modifiable files, such as score files, game play logs, and so forth,
should be placed in /var/games"[0]

I don't really care where the files go, as long as upgrades do not break
the currently used version.

-sandalle

[0] http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.2/fhs-4.11.html
[1] http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.2/fhs-5.1.html

-- 
Eric Sandall                     |  Source Mage GNU/Linux Developer
eric AT sandall.us PGP: 0xA8EFDD61  |  http://www.sourcemage.org/
http://eric.sandall.us/          |  http://counter.li.org/  #196285

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