CNN video

[Kam Leo]

On 7/4/07, Tim <ignored_mailbox at yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> Tim:
> >> The /usr/lib/firefox-x.y.z mish-mash of directories only need to hold
> >> things specific to those particular versions of the web browser.  Oddly,
> >> older ones don't seem to get removed when updating the browser.  Well,
> >> they're devoid of any files other than the plug-ins, on mine (which are
> >> really links to the flash plug-in).
>
> Kam Leo:
> > That's not odd. The plugins directory is not removed because
> > additional files, i.e. plugins (not from original installation), were
> > added.
> >
> > By the way, the same thing happens in the Windows world.
>
> I know the evil empire does it that way, too.  But it's still pointless
> keeping plug-ins for programs that have been removed.  They're not
> configuration files that you might want access to.
>
> And there's probably a good chance you'd have to re-install them
> separately, to get them working again, if you'd re-installed the older
> browser, anyway.

Developer's catch-22: If a user just uninstalls and reinstalls the
same package the previous ensemble of plugins. user setting. etc. will
not be the same. It's better to get flack for not removing files.