> I contend that the problem $PATH solves has nothing to do with programming. $PATH is a solution for finding programs when you type their name on the commandline, nothing more. Windows and Mac programs don't really use or need it for the vast majority of tasks. Programming does not fundamentally require $PATH.
Do you write programs that don't load libraries? That don't interact with files? $PATH is required (or something to search along to find those libraries or files). I've been programming for 25+ years and I can't think of a serious actual application that I've written that doesn't need something like $PATH. Even simple data formatting console apps generally need to load a JSON library or something similar. It's impossible to bundle every library needed for an app in every app. People keep saying that $PATH isn't needed but location services of some kind is absolutely needed! I'd argue that $PATH is the result of 50+ years of engineering/science and research and is the best known way to address that issue as of now.
Do you write programs that don't load libraries? That don't interact with files? $PATH is required (or something to search along to find those libraries or files). I've been programming for 25+ years and I can't think of a serious actual application that I've written that doesn't need something like $PATH. Even simple data formatting console apps generally need to load a JSON library or something similar. It's impossible to bundle every library needed for an app in every app. People keep saying that $PATH isn't needed but location services of some kind is absolutely needed! I'd argue that $PATH is the result of 50+ years of engineering/science and research and is the best known way to address that issue as of now.