Re: OS X File system Layout (was Re: AppleScript & HTML Again...)
Re: OS X File system Layout (was Re: AppleScript & HTML Again...)
- Subject: Re: OS X File system Layout (was Re: AppleScript & HTML Again...)
- From: Walter Ian Kaye <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 03:46:03 -0800
At 04:39a -0600 03/30/2004, Dennis W. Manasco didst inscribe upon an
electronic papyrus:
At 3:37 am -0800 3/29/04, Walter Ian Kaye wrote:
If a stupid-ass Apple update puts an update in /Applications, I
move it to the desired category.
Aside the "You don't have that so I can't update it" dialogs, recent
MacFixIt reports seem to indicate that sometimes an updater will
stick a partial (changes only?) application where it thinks the
whole application should be. (Sorry, I can't seem to find a
representative URL to pull up, but I know I've seen at least one.)
Well I have heard of that, but you know what? It's not user error, it
is developer error. As a user, you should NEVER accept such crap. If
an installer does that to you, you should run straight to the
developer and complain LOUDLY and OFTEN until they fix their
egregious error. Don't be a doormat, and don't let them treat you
like dirt. Stand up for your rights. Stand up to Apple. Join ADC for
free, and file bug reports on Apple's broken software. What are you
people afraid of? It's not like they're gonna sue you for complaining.
I've been wanting to create a hierarchy similar to what you've
shown, but without the /Applications container (and across several
disks), since I moved to OS X. I tried a bit of it, but got put off
by the refusal dialogs and multiple applications. I haven't had the
stomach to try lately because of the horror and hassle stories I've
read.
I have always done this, and I will always do this. I have never
had a problem (aside from getting pissed at Apple for their
stupidity)
I'm glad it's worked for you. I've just been getting madder and
madder about the stupidity.
File bug reports. So what if they're dupes; the number of complaints
will send a message to management.
Can we complain about the Preferences folder, too? It's in dire
need of categorization.
It's in dire need of a major enema, and has been since before System 7.
Enema, LOL.
Can we complain about the imbeciles who let their programs require
something of _importance_ in the Preferences folder?
Really. We've had the Application Support folder for nearly a decade!
It's been available for all system versions since at least Mac OS 7.6.1.
Given the historically verifiable multitude of problems that apps
can have when reading prefs (Doesn't anyone bullet-proof their
pref-reading code?),
I think DragThing does. :) (Optional because it slows launching.)
the user should be able to trash the whole Preferences folder and
only need to recreate their personal variations on default program
and system behavior.
(And maybe their registration codes. But don't those really belong
in a Registrations folder? -- It's not as if users are too stupid to
look in the prefs folder to find and copy their registrations....)
Hey, that's a good idea. Hmm... hey, what about the Keychain? Has no
one ever thought of using that for software registrations? (Of course
personalizations like name/org would still go in Prefs, but product
activation/copyprotection seems like a natural for the Keychain.)
Might need a minor extension to its database and api, but that's
nothing unusual. Hmm...
However, you can find applications written as far back as System 6
(and before) that apparently can't figure out a place to drop their
templates, examples, menu-selectable starting-point-required files,
help files, documentation, whatever. So they just poop them down in
the Preferences folder (or, worse yet, the Extensions folder), like
a cat who can't find his litter box.
Well System 6 didn't have an Application Support folder.
This is criminally execrable behavior on a rudeness level comparable
to that of the worst Windows games I've ever installed, but I've
never seen a program lose two stars in a review for doing it. I've
also never seen Apple release a tech note that decries such an
obviously foolish approach to application file organization.
Perhaps we need some sort of "Thou shalt not" commandments for these issues?
Stupidity in the organization, demarcation, and maintenance of
Apple's default file hierarchies goes back a long way.
Still, as John said, "that's a rant for a different night."
Let's just hope that the night is not put off indefinitely: The time
is long overdue for someone to whack the heads of some
middle-management system-structure-overview droids with a
smart-stick. The trench coders should be able to fix most of the
problems with dispatch if they are just given a prod in the right
direction.
Yup. So file those bug reports to start the head-whacking!
-boo
"If you hadn't nailed this installer to the perch, it'd be pushin'
up the daisies."
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