Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: ESR and Apple's irrelevance

Author:Jonathan Hendry
Posted:8/28/2000; 7:18:20 PM
Topic:ESR and Apple's irrelevance
Msg #:20429 (In response to 20424)
Prev/Next:20425 / 20430

This is entirely true but I think that Linux has shown that what happens when programmers don't need to build an interface for the users to access the data then they tend not to provide them at all.

But in the case of Linux, they didn't need to because there weren't enough users who weren't willing and able to deal with the hassle.

The lack of an easy interface isn't due to the existence of text files, it's due to the lack of vocal and influential users intolerant of poor UI.

Which is to say, there wasn't enough demand for it. If the users are the developers, and the users are content with hand-modifying text files, then the developers aren't going to invest the time (for which they won't be paid) to write software to manage the files.

If they used binary config files, I bet the interface would still be horrible. Probably some commandline utility with a hundred options and flags.

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