[Pidgin] #4911: Pidgin does not adhere to the freedesktop.org XDG Base Directory Specification

[Pidgin]

#4911: Pidgin does not adhere to the freedesktop.org XDG Base Directory
Specification
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  Reporter:  timnik        |       Owner:  lschiere
      Type:  enhancement   |      Status:  closed  
  Priority:  minor         |   Milestone:          
 Component:  unclassified  |     Version:  2.3.1   
Resolution:  wontfix       |    Keywords:          
   Pending:  0             |  
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Comment (by rekkanoryo):

 Replying to [comment:2 timnik]:
 > Essentially, I would like to start with a clean install - but it's very
 important to me to not loose my account information like usernames,
 passwords and especially any history. This applies equally to all other
 programs. The specification, from what I understood, aims to separate this
 data, so all I would have to do is delete the $XDG_CONFIG_DIR and I would
 be safe, as all the personal information that should never be lost is kept
 in $KDG_DATA_DIR.

 [[BR]]
 There is a flaw in this argument--accounts are configuration data, thus
 accounts.xml would be stored in $XDG_CONFIG_DIR with prefs.xml.  Simply
 wiping out $XDG_DATA_DIR would cause you to lose accounts.  Restoring a
 default configuration without losing acounts would require deletion of
 only prefs.xml, as it does now.  This standard serves no useful purpose in
 this case.

 [[BR]]
 > You're right about the home folder, it's a big mess. If it were to be
 separated into the two categories of user data and general config, then it
 would most certainly be much tidier than before and help me and all the
 other users to be able to keep the important non-replaceable data safe. I
 would like to be able to revert my settings back to the default without
 worrying about loosing anything.

 [[BR]]
 Everyone who trumpets this specification and its benefits completely
 overlook one key factor--separating the configuration and data just
 relocates the mess ''and'' doubles it by requiring not just one directory,
 but two.  While it may make $HOME "tidier" in the eyes of some, I would
 rather have 100 dot directories directly in my $HOME than be required to
 have a total of 202 directories in this specification's trees.

 [[BR]]
 > Another blogger explains the issues from his own perspective and gives
 reasons for following the specification here:
 http://ploum.frimouvy.org/?184-cleaning-user-preferences-keeping-user-data
 >
 > Don't you think there is a very real problem here?

 [[BR]]
 I do not.  This blog post demonstrates nothing to me except that some
 developers are criminally stupid in how they store data when they don't
 follow the standard.  It seems a pretty clear argument to me that
 developers need to use common sense when storing data instead of tossing
 random crap wherever they feel like.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/4911#comment:3>
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