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On Windows 7 (x64), Chrome is installed in:

 C:\Users\userid\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\

Is that better that Program Files? Is it a general best practice?

I suppose it's good (and more secure) to allow each user to have a separate app, but I'm surprised there isn't a C:\Users\userid\Program Files\ directory for that, like on Mac OS X.

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> Why does Chrome install itself under user directory instead of Program files? I’ve been futilely asking myself this question for the past 20 years. – Synetech Aug 15 '11 at 3:38
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It's so that Google can update the Chrome without asking for administrator privileges. Which, depending on your view can make it more secure or less.

Generally this is really not a best practice as much as it is a developer's decision. Historically developers didn't do it to save space on the disk but that's a moot point nowadays.

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I think this decision was almost certainly made to try to reduce severe cases of PEBKAC from hindering Chrome's adoption by (l)users. – Doc Aug 10 '11 at 19:34
@Doc It's more the existence of IE than anything that's hindering the adoption of Chrome. – digitxp Aug 10 '11 at 19:52
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Naw, it's more the existence of ignorance than IE. – Doc Aug 10 '11 at 19:53
Problem In Chair Not In Computer PICNIC error. – Moab Aug 10 '11 at 21:38
That explanation is supported by the presence of old_chrome.exe in the same directory. – xan Aug 11 '11 at 13:13
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