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From: Preben Randhol <randhol+abuse@pvv.org>
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Subject: Re: A standard package for config files is needed
Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 11:46:28 +0000 (UTC)
Organization: Norwegian university of science and technology
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On Mon, 3 Jun 2002 09:23:10 -0400, Marin David Condic wrote:
> If this is how you are using a "Configuration" file then I suggest it is no
> longer a "Configuration" file and is instead a "Data" file for your

You started with saying that streams where good for dumping a lot of
variables if I recall correctly. I would also define it as a Data file.

> application. What I (and maybe others) are thinking of is initialization and
> user preference data - stuff that is relatively small and specific to a
> platform, installation and user. I cannot recall any time in my experience
> with using computers where I have wanted to drag this from one machine to
> another machine of totally different character. Even if I did - its in the
> nature of the beast that it is relatively *small* and shouldn't take hours
> to recreate.

Well perhaps because you couldn't? I mean it hasn't been usual that one
can use the same program on several platforms. Now it is time to think
in these terms IMHO. 

Well whether it is small or not doesn't matter. Say you are setting up
the program to be used by 400 kids in a school and you have about 200
machine whith different platforms.

or a more realistic example. Say you have configured about 10
applications (or more) so that they are more easy to use. Now you want
to set this exact same setup up for some other people. It is far easier
to just copy the files than have to reconfigure them on each machine.

With Vim (and Emacs) which works on a lot of platform you set up a lot
of files you wants it to load so that you have more features. You can
copy them without problems between platforms.

Preben