Advantages of the Registry concept
Changing from having one or more INI files per program to one centralised registry has its good points:
*The registry keeps machine configuration separate from user configuration. When a user logs into a Windows NT/2000/XP/Server 2003 computer, the user-based registry settings are loaded from a different path than the system wide settings. This allows programs to more easily keep per-user configuration, as they can just work with the "current user" key, whereas in the past they tended to just keep system-wide per-program settings.
*Group Policy allows administrators on a Windows-based computer network to centrally manage program and policy settings. Part of this involves being able to set what an entry in the registry will be for all the computers on the network, and affect nearly any installed program — something almost impossible with per-program configuration files each with custom layouts, stored in dispersed locations.
*Because the registry is accessed through a special API it is available to scripts and remote management using WMI. Each script does not have to be customised for every application's unique configuration file layouts and restrictions.
*The registry can be accessed as one item over a network connection for remote management/support, including from scripts, using the standard API.
*It can be backed up more easily, in that it is just a small number of files in specific locations.
*Portions of settings like any subset of an application configuration can be saved in a text-based .REG file, which can be edited with any text editor later. .REG files can easily be merged back into the registry both by unattended batch file or by the user just double-clicking on the file without harming any setting that is not explicitly stated in the .REG file. This is very useful for administrators and support personnel who want to preset or preconfigure only a few options like approving the EULA of a certain application.
*Since accessing the registry does not require parsing it can be read from and written to more quickly than a text file can be.
*Registry changes and readings can be tracked via a tool like Winternals' RegMon on value level. This is a big advantage for generating scripts in networks as well as debugging problems.
*Registry keys are independent of the Windows language, the Windows installation drive and path and even the Windows versions as such. So support personnel can easily give out one set of instructions, without having to handle these things, unlike for example files in the user profile which can be on different paths on each installation.
from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_registry Most of these only apply to Windows.
Nevertheless, I still prefer my config files.
