In regards to removing a program from a computer, I want to know why a program must be uninstalled versus deleting the program's files. I bet I can answer my own question by stating that programs must be installed in the first place and therefore must be uninstalled to remove.
However, I have always wanted to know some details as to why deleting a program's files (i.e. deleting its folder and all subfolders) does not effectively remove the program from my computer. Just seems like it would.
On windows installing a program does not merely copy some files. If also writes information to a shared database (called the registry) and it may share dll's with other programs.
If you just delete the files, then you are not fully uninstalling it.
To remove a program you can delete the files and registry entries, that's manually removing it. But it can be tricky to find the registry keys(you may have to find a list of what keys the program added or search for them), and the files may not all be in one directory. You also have the shortcuts from the start menu and/or desktop.
An uninstaller is meant to automatically remove it, it's a convenience, it's never necessary. Sometimes an uninstaller can be broken and you have to do it manually.
