Date   : Wed, 13 Aug 1997 11:12:48 +0200
From   : Robert Schmidt <rsc@...>
Subject: Re: bbc diskimages

Wouter Scholten wrote:
> well, what fields would you want to add? This is not a INI file
> containing entries for various programs.

Now *that* was a mistake for Microsoft to allow in the first place. 
Common INI files (like WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI) are mostly obsolete now. 
Apart from this, I find the INI-format ideal to use for almost any kind
of run-time options, configuration and initialization.

> I don't see an argument for elaborating too much in such files. If
> someone doesn't know what the numbers mean he shouldn't use them. This
> is a utility writer thing.

A bit of a hostile attitude, don't you think...?  ;-)  
 
> I'd prefer keeping the .inf's as they are and not in such a format as
> they are almost what *CAT gives on the BBC.

Good point!
 
> > A similar format for *.inf files would also be beneficial, I think,
> as
> > it is much more intuitive for new users.  (If there ever is a
> majority
> > for this, changing the archive to reflect the format we agree upon
> is an
> > automatic process.)
> 
> No, I don't see that at all.

What, that they are intuitive (uhm, look again - INI-files are the
American, spoon-feeding way) or conversion as an automatic process (a
perl or 4NT script can do it in <10 lines)?
 
> Furthermore, by new users you mean people who USE the software. They
> are
> dependent on others to provide conversion utilities which means they
> don't have to look at the .inf files.

I've often needed to manually edit INF files (to tweak addresses or
exotic file names, for example).
 
Anyway, this is more of a religious argument than anything else - I'm
perfectly happy with whatever format you're most comfortable with, and
I'm welcoming any new/better utilities to make life as a BBC fanatic (in
the nineties - geez!) a tad easier... :)


--
Robert Schmidt <rsc@...       >
Software Developer / Vingmed Sound tel +47 67124237 fax +47 67124355
Private tel +47 22352293 WWW http://www.nvg.unit.no/~rsc

    jeg lukker et oye og ser halvt
    jeg  lukker begge  og ser  alt            -- seigmen