How do you organise your 'My Documents' folder

[PlayPhil]

Interesting read. I follow a convention similar to Mouser and put extensive effort into filenaming. I avoid Default Permit (installs or otherwise) like the plague, for instance, anything to do with security is in its own dir structure on the C drive with an unusual name. My drives are partitioned with essentials only on the C drive (after 5-6 years an Image Backup is still only one DVD). Data is on the D Drive, nonessential programs on the P drive, Swap or page files on the S drive on Drive1 etc.

IMHO a good partitioning strategy is as important as file and dir naming conventions, esp keeping your C drive as tight as possible. That said, never have found the perfect strategies

Downloads go into a temp folder 1Dnlds on C along with all info/data pertinent to the download. It's then named and moved to my archive drive partition under a dir structure that's logical to me, for instance, W:\System\Tweak\TweakUI.zip or whatever the case. I use short names, and never use spaces preferring leading case or underscores and sometimes dashes.

I use the My Documents structure as a temporary drop folder when convenient, after which I move the files into my own MyDocs folder. It's organized simply, eg, Pics/Smilies, Docs/Humour etc and file type does not have a bearing. I have 6 partitions on Drive0 and 3 partitions on Drive1. My backup routine sweeps all partitions and puts 1+ copies on drive M (for mgmt), one copy is an exact replication, the + copy is for info I want to keep duplicate copies (not much) and is under a time stamp dir name.

The 8 partitions (not C) are mirrored on 2 180MB USB Hard drives during backup. I don't use indexing nor Windows Search (ugh!), rather I prefer searching if necessary. I like Agent Ransack as a freeware search util but use the Pro version on my main machine.

Some great food for thot in this thread, thanks to all who contributed

[superboyac]

• C:\Program Files <--- here is the folder used by all normal installer programs
• C:\ProgramFiles <--- i created this for any programs that DONT have installers, which i create manually; this helps me easily identify programs which i manually "installed" and keep them distinct from programs with their own installers, and has been a great help
• C:\Programs <--- some old programs have installers and dont like long paths with spaces, i created this directory for those.

-mouser (August 20, 2007, 03:09 PM)

mouser, I have a question.  In the PorgramFiles directory, do you only put programs there that do not come with an installer?  Like, you just drop the files there?  Then, anything with an exe installer goes to the default "Program Files" directory?


That's interesting.  It's almost what I do.  The difference is that anything I install, whether it has an installer or not, goes into a directory called "PROGRAMS".  Now, anything that needs to get installed automatically without my knowledge or control, goes into the default directory.  Stuff like Flash plugins that never ask you where you want to put it.  But I also let MS Office go there also.  Now, I'm realizing this method of mine is not very consistent or systematic, so I may change to yours.  I just wanted to clarify first, however.

Also, do you adjust the subdirectory that programs go into?  I'm talking about when programs have a structure like:
"company/suite/program/version"
That normally bugs the hell out of me, so I'll rename it to one directory.  but it's hard do sometimes with companies like Adobe who have very weird directory setups.  I prefer having "C:/program files/program" and that's it.  A company like ACDSEE has this:
Program Files\ACD Systems\ACDSee Pro\2.5

So do you leave all that alone, or do you adjust it?

[mouser]

mouser, I have a question.  In the PorgramFiles directory, do you only put programs there that do not come with an installer?  Like, you just drop the files there?  Then, anything with an exe installer goes to the default "Program Files" directory?

yes.
i mean i always create a subfolder of course for each such program, and i always create a shortcut to the program in my start menu.

but all programs with installers go into default "Program Files" and all programs without installers go into "ProgramFiles"

if a program has an installer i tend to not change the subdirectory it installs info -- only if it wants to install C:\STUPIDPROGRAM do i change it to C:\Program Files\STUPIDPROGRAM

i used to change things but i've found its not worth the risk -- there is always a risk when you change the install directory that it will confuse a future installation, etc. so i dont mess with it and let all installer programs go exactly where they want to.

[superboyac]

I like it.  I'm going to change to this for my new computer.  You're right, it's not worth the hassle to do what I am doing.  And I'm much busier now, I need to consider which anal tendencies are worth indulging in and which are not.  Productivity is key, but good organization is very important also.  You have a good system.  If I commit to it, I will feature it on my website.

[Armando]

I do exactly as you do, mouser (I let all installer programs go exactly where they want to). Except that I put everything in the Program Files directory, even programs without any installer -- I just identify programs without an installer with a tag.