How do I uninstall programs properly?

[Sunnz]

Do I just remove them from the Applications directory? Most programs I installed by dragging the .app file into the App dir.

[MisterMe]

Drag the app to the Trash.
Empty Trash.

[Sunnz]

Is it really that simple?

I have been owning my own Mac for only 2 days.

I think I am in love now!

And this is coming from someone who switched from Windows to Linux and now, Mac!!

[Sunnz]

BTW, I am now also wondering, if it hurts anything if I drag programs to somewhere else when I install them? Say to install Y! Messager, would it be ok if I add a directory called "Mess" in the Application directory? What about existing programs, would it be ok to move them to a different directory? (I already have Y! installed.)

Thanks.

[simbalala]

Most apps don't have to be installed in Applications but it is the normal location.

I have a couple folders under my user directory, "beta apps" and "trial apps" where I install things I'm not sure I want to keep.

Sometimes though an app will expect to find itself there for various reasons and some things may not work as expected.

[ElDiabloConCaca]

I would recommend keeping ALL applications in /Applications (and not in subfolders) and then using aliases and/or the Dock to access/launch those applications. Don't use your hard drive to launch applications -- make aliases, put them in your dock, use an application launcher or somehow create shortcuts to the applications you use most and use those to launch them.

Some (most?) Apple-branded applications are REQUIRED to be in /Applications and, if not, may "break" if you try and upgrade them (like iPhoto 6.0 to iPhoto 6.0.2 or something -- if iPhoto isn't in /Applications, it may not be found to be upgraded, or it may be incompletely upgraded).

[barhar]

Leave Apple Computer Inc's applications and respective folders - where they are.

As for most third party software - you can move such elsewhere (within the boot or another (internal and / or external) hard disk drive.

'How do I uninstall programs properly?' - if you only dragged the application, or its respective folder (if such existed), to the '/Applications/' (or elsewhere folder) - then most likely you only need to drag the application (or respective folder) to the trash can.

Some applications do supply an 'uninstaller' application. These (uninstallers) typically clean up other files and / or folders of files, created by the application; and may / may not actually delete the application.

[lurk]

I leave all Apple's stuff in /Applications as was mentioned before that way you can be sure that software update will find and update them properly. Other than that I have a directory called /Appllications/local where I keep everything else. One nice thing about that is when I buy a new machine I just copy the local directory over and am good to go.