Aandi Inston wrote:
> Although you can move the Documents and settings\USERNAME\Application
> Data folder, I don't see that you can change the internal arrangement
> at all, since these names are usually built into programs.

Hi Aandi,

In the olden days (circa Windows 95, Windows 98, etc.) it was much
easier to maintain a healthy C:\My Data directory because Microsoft was
basically ignorant of the concept of data storage.

Then, in the Windows 2K/NT/XP era, it became a bit harder to manage
(yes, harder - not easier) mainly because Microsoft (to their credit)
tried to create a culture which stored data separately from program
files; however (much to everyone's dismay), Microsoft created such an
abomination of a data directory tree that we were forced to abandon all
hope of making any sense of it, even after a multitude of well meaning
attempts to conform to their heinous data structures.

However, it's generally very easy (almost trivial) to ensure all
programs save data into their proper locations, e.g.,
C:\My Archivers (for PGP, PDF, ZIP, RAR, COA32, INCTRL5, etc.)
C:\My Browsers (for Firefox, Netscape, etc.)
C:\My Calendars (for TaskMaster, CalendarManger, MeetingMaker, etc.)
C:\My Databases (for map programs, address book managers, DBASEIII,
etc.)
C:\My Editors (for picture editors, video editors, text editors, hex
editors, etc.)
C:\My Finances (for Quicken, TurboTax, TaxCut, StockWorld, etc.)
C:\My Games (for games)
C:\My Hardware (for dvd burners, dvd rippres, telephony SKYPE, modems,
etc.)
C:\My ISP (for NetZero, SBCGlobal, VPN, etc.)
etc.

IMHO,
Susan

Susan Sharm wrote:
> However, it's generally very easy (almost trivial) to ensure all
> programs save data into their proper locations, e.g.,
> C:\My Archivers (for PGP, PDF, ZIP, RAR, COA32, INCTRL5, etc.)
> C:\My Browsers (for Firefox, Netscape, etc.)
> C:\My Calendars (for TaskMaster, CalendarManger, MeetingMaker, etc.)
> C:\My Databases (for map programs, address book managers, DBASEIII,
> etc.)
> C:\My Editors (for picture editors, video editors, text editors, hex
> editors, etc.)
> C:\My Finances (for Quicken, TurboTax, TaxCut, StockWorld, etc.)
> C:\My Games (for games)
> C:\My Hardware (for dvd burners, dvd rippres, telephony SKYPE, modems,
> etc.)
> C:\My ISP (for NetZero, SBCGlobal, VPN, etc.)
> etc.

Oh, oh. Correction. I didn't mean to suggest a YAFFO (yet another flat
file organization)!

In my haste to be responsive, I forgot to type the C:\My Programs in
front when I responded. To be clear, I would NEVER suggest YAFFO for an
application programs hierarchy.

I meant to type:
C:\My Programs\{My Archivers, My Browsers, My Calendars, My Databases,
My Editors, My Finances, My Games, My Hardware, My Internet Accounts,
...., etc.}

Basically, one well honed organizational strategy is to presuppose one
category for every type of program, and even sub categories within that
for every type of possible program to be installed.

Then, the theory goes, we repeat this organizational hierarchy for each
of the FIVE key Windows areas {Application installations, application
installers, application data, application menus, and send-to menus).

The con is that it looks like more work than blindly throwing
everything into the living room instead of moving them into the closet,
bedroom, kitchen, etc. - but - in reality - it is LESS WORK and MORE
PRODUCTIVE to organize your system than to leave it in the default
YAFFO Microsoft chaos.

This is an opinion supplied to increase the knowledge of the community
.... your differing offerings are always welcome,
Susan