Linked by Adam S on Sun 6th Apr 2003 17:18 UTC
This is my reaction to Tsu Dho Nimh's "Migrating to Linux not easy for Windows users" featured on Linuxworld.com recently. It's not a response, I'm not challenging his opinions, which I feel are not only valid, but mostly right, it's just a reaction.
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"Yes, like Linux config files are not the slightest bit cryptic and everything in the registry is pure hex. "
I did not say that. However, there is some truth in it.
Linux config files in /etc/ are designed to be human readable. The Windows registry is not. That is why there are comments in text files, and no comments in the registry. Simple, isn't it?
The registry contains a hell of a lot of =hex: entries. I can't find any files in /etc that contain any hex. Perhaps Windows admins are expected to convert hex>dec in their heads?
Of course, the contents of a configuration file will appear cryptic if you do not know what it refers to.
"I've not found one app where it's settings are scattered around the registry. "
Not looked very hard then. Try Internet Explorer.
Hint: you probrably have not known how many entries are related to IE's operation because there is no indication in the registry to that effect.
There are problems with the Linux/Unix method of text files as well, but you will have to use a *nix to find them.
When the s**t hits the fan though, and you have to get down and edit the configuration of your server by hand, I find the *nix method wins every time.