The value of the debate is what most of the debate is about.lickthefrog2 wrote:...I'm sure the debate is valuable....
For example, I absolutely disagree with you. I think the debate is pointless.
Now I'll tell you why I think it's pointless. The definition of a file hierarchy is not a problem with a unique solution. So criticising it by saying "that's not what I would have done!" is pointless, as is debating the relative merits of slightly different schemes, since we already have one scheme in widespread use that works perfectly adequately.
If there were some glaring deficiency of the FHS that was preventing you from delivering some worldshaking software, then we'd all be keen to work to fix it. (This scenario has actually happened and been addressed in the past, and is the reason why some parts of the hierarchy were added where and when they were, for example /proc.)
Finally, an obvious point that seems, nonetheless, to have escaped some: most people never need to know anything at all about the Linux FHS. If you're the kind of person that needs to know, then it's the least of your worries. If you don't, then it is exactly none of your worries.
mark "no worries" south