I deleted my user folder's apps..is that alright?

[XheartcoreboyX]

I messed up the applications folders somehow and ended up deleting all the apps in the applications folder in the user/home (using app zapper) and kept everything in the HDD applications folder.

I am the only user, did I do anything wrong?

Even though i have been using Macs for 3 years, but I never bothered understanding the difference between the system and user folders (library, preference, ect..)...is there a website/thread that explains that kind of stuff?

Thanks for any explanations and sorry about my newbie questions, I tried to search but wasn't really sure what to search for.

 

[philipt42]

Basically if you can use them you should be fine. If you have any trouble you can always drag them back to the users folder.

 

[After G]

The user Apps folder is for apps you only want your user to access. On a single user system this is almost pointless.

It's fine if you keep everything in the main Applications folder if you are the only user, nothing wrong with that.

 

[ziggyonice]

Your user folder shouldn't have any Applications folder stored in it. The only "official" Applications folder is located on the hard drive. If you have an additional Applications folder in your user folder, a program must have created one located there, or you created one there. And in that case, I'd just trash it.

 

[XheartcoreboyX]

The user Apps folder is for apps you only want your user to access. On a single user system this is almost pointless.

It's fine if you keep everything in the main Applications folder if you are the only user, nothing wrong with that.

So if I make another user, they will be able to automatically use all the apps in the HDD apps folder but not the ones in the first user's apps folder?

 

[After G]

So if I make another user, they will be able to automatically use all the apps in the HDD apps folder but not the ones in the first user's apps folder?

Yes, that's right.

Edit: If you give that user admin access, they will be able to access the folder by typing in their admin password.

 

[XheartcoreboyX]

Your user folder shouldn't have any Applications folder stored in it. The only "official" Applications folder is located on the hard drive. If you have an additional Applications folder in your user folder, a program must have created one located there, or you created one there. And in that case, I'd just trash it.

That explains it all, I was thinking it would be pointless to have apps duplicated in both places.

So when you first install the OS (leopard in my case) there wouldn't be an applications folder in the "Home/user"?

I went back to Leopard from snow leopard and restored all of my applications using time machine, could that possibly create the new folder?

 

[ziggyonice]

So when you first install the OS (leopard in my case) there wouldn't be an applications folder in the "Home/user"

Correct. There shouldn't be an Applications folder in your user folder.

I went back to Leopard from snow leopard and restored all of my applications using time machine, could that possibly create the new folder?

Possibly, depending on how you had your backup setup. As long as the programs you need are stored in the Applications folder on the hard drive, you don't need an Applications folder on your user account.

 

[XheartcoreboyX]

A little off topic, but what about the library folders? why is there one in the Home and another in the HDD/system?

Are the library files located in Home applied to the specific user only, but the ones in the HDD for all users?

In which place do applications keep their settings files and what does that depend on?

 

[After G]

Are the library files located in Home applied to the specific user only, but the ones in the HDD for all users?

Yes, this is correct.

In which place do applications keep their settings files and what does that depend on?

Applications keep user-specific settings in the user's library, and application settings that affect all users in the system library.