Hi
As to the subject of /opt or iBay to install WebApps, ther are a few issues to consider:
If the SMEServer is a FileServer, quite often the permissions on iBays are readable (writeabld...) by shared. The www user is member of shared.
IBays show up as Windows shares on the server, making it "easy" to ruin a webapp from a windows workstation - even unknowingly or unwittingly...
Windows doesn't care about case, but tell that to SME/UNIX/PHP/Perl...
If using "virtual hosts", ibay content will only show up under a dedicatedly configured domain, or under the primary name of the server. This isn't very flexible. An iBay can not appear "under" several different domains.
Opt content will show up as default under all domains, if using the /alias/ method in httpd.conf.
Requirements and the above points should assist in deciding where to install app-x.
Using /opt does take a bit more work and know-how. Editing templates and setting permissions are among the requirements.
A SME (small and medium) company may not have a "guru" to setup a "hardened" server, but almost anyone who can read the fine manual and type in illustrated commands can install such a webapp in SME.
My 2 cts...
Andy Wismer