I just stumbled across this interesting quote:

"If anything will drive people to Linux, it will be this Registry-centric architecture of Windows. Linux does not use this concept, although some maniacs are promoting the idea for some unknown reason."

The whole article is here:
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/zd/20090804/tc_zd/242907

This wouldn't be similar to that nonsense we are seeing in KDE... can't remember what it is called... PolicyKit?

All I can think of is gconf in Gnome. That's registry-ish. Also from what I've seen DeviceKit should be better than hal.

No, PolicyKit is something different. See the wikipedia article on it for a quick explanation.

What is the problem? Don't like it, don't use it.
Kde has nothing to do with Linux, except it is running on it (like on *Bsd and Windows, too).
This flaming against Hal and DeviceKit/PolicyKit is annoying.

Hi,
I find that the debate is useful.

I'm sorry but 'KDE' is a useful environment for some to use for 'X' on a GNU/Linux distribution. I prefer 'XFCE' when a desktop is necessary but I am finding the new 'KDE' to be nice as long as the resources are available.

That's what's nice about GNU/Linux, one can tune or use pretty much what they wish to tweak to use on a 'Free' to use OS.

And by the same token, if you don't like the discussion, don't read it
IMHO the discussions about hal et al re: their worth are not 'flames' per se, but opinions and discussion.

I use both XFCE and KDE. I have the resources to run KDE 4.2.4 in -current and I like it a lot. Depending on what I'm doing in X I'll alternate between KDE and XFCE. I'm running XFCE 4.6.1 at the moment.
Agreed. This is what is wonderful about GNU/Linux; users have the freedom to choose how to use their machines.

"Elektra is a universal hierarchical configuration store, with related goals like GConf and the Windows Registry. It allows programs to read and save their configurations with a consistent API, and allows them to be aware of other applications' configurations, leveraging easy application integration. The whole point of it is to tie applications together, so that they can co-operate and share their user-preferences.

The developers are associated to unix philosophy and the very practical point consists of writing a configuration library. Every software needs this functionality, it is not easy to do it right and performant and we want to avoid any unnecessary code duplication."

(http://elektra.g4ii.com/Main_Page)

And then you need to change one little thing and ... ehm ... what? Where is it? regedit and gpedit top the chart of things that make my blood boil. They are also the two prime examples of why Redmonds 'user friendliness (whatever that is)' is a myth, but let's not go there.

No, the article makes a good point. Is the author the same Dvorak from the keyboard layout btw?

Very doubtful thesis. There are a lot of reasons driving people to Linux. A lot of free distributions for different purposes, a lot of free applications included in each distribution, a lot of free additional applications. Possibility of internationalization of the system and applications, comfortable tools for system maintenance, big set of tools for data processing, a lot of compilers and interpreters of different languages.

There is a big difference between Windows and Linux in the culture of the work with the computer, the system, and the applications. Windows comes with a handful of programs. You can't do almost nothing with Windows. Linux comes with a lot of programs. You can do almost anything with Linux. Windows programs are huge all in one sets of tools. Linux programs are tiny separate tools designed for strictly specified tasks. Windows programs are expensive executables -- you can only buy and use them. Linux programs are free sources -- you can modify them to your needs.

As Windows user you're client. As Linux user you're the member of the community. Windows does some tasks behind the scene. Linux does everything transparently. Windows updates come in bundled service packs. You don't know their exact contents. Linux patches come as separate packages. You're aware what and why you update.

Bill Gates wears small rounded spectacles. Linus Torvalds wears big round glasses.

To be continued...

Hi,

Not unless August Dvorak has the ultimate means to link or the means to use his keyboard remotely?

While the ability for programs and applications to interact with one another would be nice; I think a registry is the wrong way to go about it. An example of this is the windows registry which is MASSIVE and a pain in the ass to use. Normally if a program needs to be self-aware of the dependencies or other programs about it then the developers will make sure it does so.

I have never encountered these maniacs.

I prefer that programs save their data in their own text files. The biggest problem with the registry in Windows is that if an error of some sort occurs when writing to it, the entire registry can be corrupted. Using distinct and separate text files lessens this greatly I think.