[Geany-devel] Proposal: Project settings split - adding geany features

[Nick Treleaven]

On 02/11/2011 23:03, Lex Trotman wrote:
> [...]
>
>>> Everything else is shared via VCS, so its annoying that one thing isn't.
>>
>> As I said, you can already share settings, you just can't easily synchronize
>> them *if* they change.
>>
>>> Whats the problem with doing it?
>>
>> It adds code complexity, plus backwards compatibility would make the code
>> more ugly. Having all project settings stored in the same file is neater and
>> easier to understand for users. It makes the manual more complex, maybe
>> helping a little to obscure the important stuff.
>>
>
> Nick, this argument is saying that Geany should never change or
> improve, if you want to stagnate just keep using 0.21 or your
> favourite version ...
>
> Storing information with different uses (personal vs project) in the
> same file makes life harder for some users, all your arguments only
> relate to development issues not user issues.

First, I'd like to address these points, but I have actually thought of 
an alternative proposal which hopefully you might like and has much less 
impact on code. I'll start a new thread.

The point of arguing this out isn't especially for this feature, but for 
considering adding other features too.

My points are not just dev issues - users may want to backup their 
project file, which would be harder. Users need to read the manual, 
which would take longer to understand. Users might have to use buggier 
software, as more complex code is always more bug prone. Development 
issues become user issues indirectly.

>> I could bring up the Eclipse argument to say that worse is better. The more
>> use cases Geany caters to, the more Eclipse-like it will be.
>
> If there are going to be restrictions on what changes are made to
> Geany in the future then you need to put that proposal to the Geany
> community to consider how such decisions are made.

No, and also I'm not maintainer any more. But we do need to consider 
whether adding features is worth the maintenance and possible disruption.

Perhaps I was wrong to bring up Eclipse in this case, but I do think 
there are issues with your proposal which make it bad - as they're 
related to my proposal I'll deal with them in the new thread.

Regards,
Nick