oh yeah, good point doogee i didnt really explain why they are in so many directories
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i assume you understand the way linux and unix do directories..
In windows (and i think Mac, though i have little experience) files used by programs are organized by the program that needs them, like \program files\program\file. In linux, things are much more category based. Like for instance program Z has a configuration file, a program file, and a set of documentation files. when program Z installs, it puts the configuration file in the configuration directory (i.e. the appropriate /etc directory; can be /etc,/usr/etc, err etc.), it puts the program file in the program file directory (i.e. the appropriate /bin directory; can be /bin,/usr/bin, etc) and the set of documentation files in a sub directory of the documentation files directory (like /usr/doc/program-Z). The reason we have more than one say program file directory is another level of organization based on categories. the top level set of directories is used most commonly for very important files, for instance programs needed for linux to perform tasks like mounting cd's, checking the file system etc. Those are usually located in /bin. Then there are less important programs, programs that aren't essential for running the computer [that doesnt mean they arent important..]. This could be your extra text editors, and the likes. Programs that provide services that either need permissions for all the files or programs that should only be run with the permission of the system administrator (remember linux and UNIX in general is designed for many users to be active at one time) are typically put in /sbin or /usr/sbin, depending on how essential they are. This is your standard place for programs like apache (/usr/sbin/httpd) and SSHd are. All of the above applies to configuration directories and the likes. Long winded, but hopefully helpful
