Re: GConf and bonobo-conf

["John R. Sheets" <dusk ravendusk org>]

On Feb 18, 2001, Dietmar Maurer <dietmar ximian com> wrote:
> 
> "John R. Sheets" wrote:
> 
> > > So what is the advantage of decomposition in that case? The upgrade
> > > problem always exists.
> >
> > Right, but the difference is that one way you break older clients, and
> > the other way you don't.  (c:
> >
> 
> Hi John,
> 
> you have almost convinced me ;-) All you have to do now is to show
> me some programs where the older version can read the configuration
> of the newer version - I think this will never work - and this feature isn't
> important at all. We want to provide a smooth upgrade path, and not a
> downgrade possibility.
> 
> Please provide an example where this feature would be valuable.

Yeah, the same doubts occured to me, truthfully.  I think this may
become an issue with shared config parameters.  For example, if some
setting is configured with the Control Center, and accessed by other
apps.

Suppose you install the latest version of CC, which uses our
(theoretical) Color setting with the new name field.  However, you
(the user), have three or four other apps that use this Color setting,
some of which are current versions (which expect the name field), but
some of them you haven't upgraded yet (and thus don't know the name
field exists).  How will those applications coexist if upgrading the
Control Center breaks the older apps?  (c:

John

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