January 4, 2026
Bin there, sbin that
Understanding the bin, sbin, usr/bin, usr/sbin split (2010)
Why your computer has 4 “bin” closets — and why the internet’s arguing about it
TLDR: A veteran dev explains those confusing “bin” folders are 1970s leftovers. Commenters split between tradition and cleanup, with jokes, immutable OS nostalgia, and folks proving /opt/local already exists—turning a dusty design quirk into a lively debate about whether to keep history or finally tidy up
A 2010 throwback is stirring up fresh drama: the whole /bin vs /usr/bin vs /sbin split was born from 1970s storage hacks—think two tiny disks, three megabytes, and a “don’t break boot” rule. The author calls it ancient baggage nobody needs anymore, and the crowd showed up with strong feelings. One camp shrugs: “because it’s always been that way” (thanks, jagged-chisel), piling on that decades of rules keep the mess alive. The reformers fire back: why are we still living with fossil folders? roger_ asks the power question: “Is there a mainstream distro that ignores the cruft?” GoboLinux is name-dropped but not mainstream; someone even wonders if Mac counts. Meanwhile, miggol brings a twist: modern immutable Linux (systems you don’t change on the fly) makes /var the only place you can write, which weirdly mirrors those old read-only vibes—cue “Guess we’ve come full circle!” Nostalgia plus practicality makes this feel less dumb and more destined. And because no nerdfight is complete without memes, cowlby drops the obligatory XKCD Standards—classic “add one more standard” energy. The best clapback? JodieBenitez flexes an /opt/homebrew and /opt/local listing, dunking on the author’s “still waiting for /opt/local” quip. The takeaway: the directory drama is half history lesson, half comedy roast, and wholly internet
Key Points
- •The /bin and /usr/bin split originated from early Unix storage limits on PDP systems using RK05 disks.
- •Essential boot commands were kept off /usr to avoid dependency issues until /usr was mounted.
- •Modern initrd/initramfs handle early boot, reducing the need for split-based boot logic.
- •Shared libraries require matching versions across /lib and /usr/bin, undermining independent upgrades.
- •Later conventions and distro-specific rules evolved (e.g., /tmp vs /usr/tmp, use of /var and symlinks) despite the split’s historical roots.