Why does Matlab install into /usr/local/ by default, instead of /opt/?

The Matlab installer recommends to install into /usr/local/ by default. I wonder what the reasoning behind this is.

According to this reference, /opt/ would be the correct / better place for the installation. And given that the Matlab installer creates a new "Matlab" directory in /usr/local/, instead of putting its files into the existing directory hierarchy (/usr/local/bin, /usr/local/lib, etc.), my beginner mind also suggests that /usr/local/ might be the wrong place.

What speaks against /opt/?

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

MATLAB predates the /opt convention but not the /usr/local convention.

[Wei]

So is it ok for me to install matlab in /opt? Or it could lead to some later problem?