Difference between Library Folders

[vegfarandi]

I've been wondering, what is the difference between ~/Library (i.e. the home-folder's Library), /Library (contained in the root) and /System/Library (contained in the System folder)?

I've been installing a couple of plugins for QuickLook and whatnot and I'm always confused as to which Library to use. They all for example have a folder called -/QuickLook. And installing the plugin works in all of them. I know if I put it into ~/Library it will only be available for me, but what would be the difference in placing them in /Library or /System/Library?

Thanks!

 

[Wowzera]

/Library is to all users that may use the computer.

/Users/YourName/Library is only your Library.

 

[kasakka]

The silly thing is that there is a Library folder in the System folder, considering it always seems to be the only one, except on the install disc where there's a Install or Installation or something like that. They really could've just used /System and have all the system file subdirectories in there rather than cram that unnecessary Library directory in between.

Well, thankfully it's still easier to work with than Windows' mad system where there's **** all over the place and even the user's AppData folder is a big mess.

 

[vegfarandi]

Thanks for your answers.

Turns out, if I place the plugin I was talking about in /Library/QuickLook it doesn't work. However, if I put in /System/Library/QuickLook it works. Also in ~/Library/QuickLook. And yet the instructions say /Library/QuickLook.

Mystery.