configuration files

[Paul Herman]

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003, Christopher Weimann wrote:

> On 12/11/2003-12:46PM, Dave Leimbach wrote:
> >
> > If such a toolset existed I think all reasons to not use XML would be
> > gone.
>
> But what are the resons TO use XML?

This kind of argument (and I don't mean just the last statement)
comes up often, so let's think about it this way:

There are improvements from the OS point of view, and there are
improvements from the user's point of view.

One can argue that all improvements to the OS are ultimately
improvements from the user's point of view, but not all
improvements from the user's point of view are improvements to the
OS.  Some are, however, necessary.

Examples of each case:
1) Bug fixes, better performance, etc. improve the OS and
   ultimately improve the user experience.
2) A genuinely cool idea like a MySQL backend for /etc with
   triggers that SIGHUP daemons improves the user experience,
   but does little to help the OS.
3) Device support improves the users experience, and is necessary
   for usability, but certainly complicates things for the OS.

This is not a statement against improving the user experience, just
a short reminder that the should at least OS come first...  Or to
paraphrase, "Ask not what your OS can do for you, ask what you can
do for your OS."

Just my opinion (but hopefully a well thought out one),

-Paul.