Ubuntu file system layout?

    In Windows there’re perhaps only a couple of important folders (by important I mean important in my logical picture of the Windows file system) in the installation drive (in my case C:\). Namely Program Files and Windows. I simply stay away from Windows folder and the “add remove program files” is good enough to handle the program files folder of Windows. Of course there’s a folder named Users where the users (who are not admins) can access only their folders.


    Thus there’s a clear picture at some level in my mind of the Windows file system. 
In Ubuntu, when I reach the location  /  , there’s a huge list of folders, most of which I have no clue as to what they contain. 
The  /bin  folder seems to be the equivalent of the Windows folder in windows. 
The  /usr  folder seems like it’s the equivalent of the Users folder in Windows.
But even the  /home  folder looks like it can fit the bill.


Please understand that I do understand, that Ubuntu (Linux) has a different character than that of Windows, i.e., there need not be exact equivalent of Windows functions, in Ubuntu. All I am looking for is a bit more clearer picture of the Ubuntu file system.



Underneath the root (/) directory, there is a set of important system directories that are common across most Linux distributions that are used. The following is a listing of common directories that are directly under the root (/) directory:


/bin - important binary applications


/boot - boot configuration files


/dev - the device files


/etc - configuration files, startup scripts, etc...


/home - local users' home directories


/lib - system libraries


/lost+found - provides a lost+found system for files that exist under the root (/) directory


/media - mounted (loaded) removable media such as CDs, digital cameras, etc...


/mnt - mounted filesystems


/opt - provides a location for optional applications to be installed


/proc - special dynamic directory that maintains information about the state of the system, including currently running processes


/root - root user home directory, pronounced 'slash-root'


/sbin - important system binaries


/sys - system files


/tmp - temporary files