Im creating 5 partitions for multiple OSes. can I have the Application HD centralized on one partition or does EACH partition with an OS need to have its own Application folder?
Depends on the OSs, and the apps. Some app versions (iApps) require a minimum OS (10.1, Jaguar, etc). You'd end up with OS-specific folders anyway.
My solution: Each OS boot partition has it's own /Applications folder, for Apple stuff. In that I have a link/alias named UserApplications to another partition where I keep all the non-Apple stuff. Apple's installers always know where to find the files they need, I have flexibility in everything else, and yet it all shows up in one place to the user. I've found that Apple's apps tend to be more strict than most regarding the OS level.
This may or may not be appropriate for you, but it works for me.
Comments
My solution: Each OS boot partition has it's own /Applications folder, for Apple stuff. In that I have a link/alias named UserApplications to another partition where I keep all the non-Apple stuff. Apple's installers always know where to find the files they need, I have flexibility in everything else, and yet it all shows up in one place to the user. I've found that Apple's apps tend to be more strict than most regarding the OS level.
This may or may not be appropriate for you, but it works for me.
Client 10.2
Client 10.1
so far, so good...