[parchley]

Those files are user data, not part of the software package.

[daemin]

I would disagree, files that the user cannot edit or should not edit should not be going into their home directory. Things like cache files should go into a system wide cache directory instead.

[amenghra]

Cache files might contain user's sensitive data. Makes sense to keep in them in the user's home directory in those cases.

[the8472]

If I uninstall ssh I still want to have have my authorized hosts. If I uninstall some firefox version firefox I want to keep my profiles. XDG defines a thumbnailing hierarchy followed by multiple libraries, uninstalling any of those shouldn't clear thumbnail caches.

[tsukikage]

Persistent user-specific state needs to live in a persistent user-specific location. You could choose not to use the concept of a home directory, but you would be doomed to reinvent it.

[remram]

Why would you want that?

If you have separate partitions, would you really want user data to go to the system partition? Or a third partition?

Do you find having more places that user programs can write a benefit?

[prmoustache]

I agree cache file should not go into their home directory, however I don't agree they aren't user data and that they would be part of the software installation.