Apps may leave their preferences and support files in one of the Library folders; however, this will not impact your system's performance with the exception of taking up a small bit of hard drive space. These files are inert and will not affect other programs or the system software itself. In the top-level Library are support files that would affect all users. In your home Library folder are the support files that affect only your user.
In the Library's Preferences folder is where most apps will stick their single preference file. The names of these files may be intimidating at first, but they're all logically done. An example:
com.apple.AddressBook.plist
The first part is like an internet address's ".com"; this one is from a business. Other common ones are org and country codes like uk or de. The second part is the software maker's name. The third is the software title. The fourth is the filename extension, showing that this is a "property list" file.
I usually leave any Library files where they are in case I ever decide to reinstall that program. Keeping them does no harm to the system and gives me the added benefit that the program will remember its settings if I reinstall later.
So, in summary: No registry mess, no "dll hell", no hidden files strewn across your drive. Just drag to the trash and be done with it.
My first reaction was that this should be a complex and arduous task. Then I remembered that you weren't talking about the WIndows version of Explorer...
My first reaction was that this should be a complex and arduous task. Then I remembered that you weren't talking about the WIndows version of Explorer...
I'm glad you mentioned that, actually. That's one of the reasons I chose Internet Explorer for this task; to give an example of the more extreme differences of how software is removed from Mac OS X.
Comments
Originally posted by gNYp
let say, i installed the photoshop, now i want to uninstall it. how? just delete it in application folder?
thanks!!
gNYp
yup, throw it away
Here's a post I made just a week ago explaining how to uninstall software:
At least 90% of the time, software for Mac OS X is uninstalled by a simple drag-and-drop operation to the Trash.
Here's a movie I've re-made that glorifies the whole process. Watch and be amazed!
Uninstalling Internet Explorer (840 KB)
Apps may leave their preferences and support files in one of the Library folders; however, this will not impact your system's performance with the exception of taking up a small bit of hard drive space. These files are inert and will not affect other programs or the system software itself. In the top-level Library are support files that would affect all users. In your home Library folder are the support files that affect only your user.
In the Library's Preferences folder is where most apps will stick their single preference file. The names of these files may be intimidating at first, but they're all logically done. An example:
com.apple.AddressBook.plist
The first part is like an internet address's ".com"; this one is from a business. Other common ones are org and country codes like uk or de. The second part is the software maker's name. The third is the software title. The fourth is the filename extension, showing that this is a "property list" file.
I usually leave any Library files where they are in case I ever decide to reinstall that program. Keeping them does no harm to the system and gives me the added benefit that the program will remember its settings if I reinstall later.
So, in summary: No registry mess, no "dll hell", no hidden files strewn across your drive. Just drag to the trash and be done with it.
Uninstalling Internet Explorer (840 KB)
My first reaction was that this should be a complex and arduous task. Then I remembered that you weren't talking about the WIndows version of Explorer...
Originally posted by Stoo
My first reaction was that this should be a complex and arduous task. Then I remembered that you weren't talking about the WIndows version of Explorer...
I'm glad you mentioned that, actually. That's one of the reasons I chose Internet Explorer for this task; to give an example of the more extreme differences of how software is removed from Mac OS X.