Why is the good stuff in SharePoint buried so deep? Example:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033.
I don't know about the rest of you, but this whopper of a path always bothered me until I figured out exactly what each level meant. I guess that a part of me expects file names and paths to make obvious sense. When they look like incantations of black magick, I get bothered until I can figure it out.
There is a method behind the madness, though:
C: | straightforward (but bizarre if you really think about it... strange remnants from the days of dual floppy drives) |
Program Files | straightforward |
Common Files | ditto |
Microsoft Shared | ditto |
web server extensions | you are now entering IIS's turf |
60 | IIS version 6.0 = "60" |
TEMPLATE | Here Be Dragons |
LAYOUTS | virtual directory /_layouts |
1033 | the locale ID |
There are many other odd-looking paths, codes, and abbreviations in the Microsoft world. All of which bug me until I can figure them out, too. :-) Here's a couple more from the SharePoint world:
What is "vti", as in http://servername/_vti_bin/? (This is where SharePoint's web services live.) As it turns out, "vti" stands for Vermeer Technologies, Inc., the company that created FrontPage. Microsoft acquired them, almost a decade ago... yet the "vti" lives defiantly on! As you may know, FrontPage is more than just a client application; there's also those FrontPage Server Extensions. SharePoint uses a customized version of these extensions in its code base. Incidentally, this is why SharePoint doesn't play nice on a server with the stock version of FP Server Extensions installed. This is also why FrontPage works as well as it does with SharePoint.
I'll end this half-rant, half-demysticification with an abbreviation I'm still wondering about. What does "ows" stand for? Office Web Services? Office Web Space? If anyone knows, please chime in!
