Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac.apps:1402 comp.sys.mac.system:1380 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!cbnews!jbr0 From: jbr0@cbnews.att.com (joseph.a.brownlee) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps,comp.sys.mac.system Subject: Re: Per-User Preferences (was: Extended command keys.) Summary: Perhaps the Mac Needs "Login" Names Message-ID: <1990Sep4.172034.23034@cbnews.att.com> Date: 4 Sep 90 17:20:34 GMT References: <2768@network.ucsd.edu> <11128@spool.cs.wisc.edu> Distribution: na Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 60 In article <11128@spool.cs.wisc.edu>, tonyrich@titanic.cs.wisc.edu (Anthony Rich) writes: > wnn@ornl.gov (Wolfgang N. Naegeli) writes: > > It would be great if I could carry a floppy with my personal preferences > > file around, stick it in any Mac, [and have] all the applications > > configured to my personal preferences. > > YES, YES, YES! Right now, the Mac programs that *do* allow saving > preferences usually keep their preference files in the System Folder > (or in a Preferences folder in the System Folder), but that still associates > the preferences with the *machine*, not with the *users* of the machine. > [...] This, combined with the prennial "How do I read the name from the Chooser" question, makes me think that what the Mac needs is the ability to have a pseudo-login facility. This facility would be an extension of the existing Chooser functionality that would identify you as a particular user, and would allow those applications that need them to save per-user preference data. For compatibility, perhaps there would be some default user (like "Macintosh" or something) that would be the selected user if the user did not explicitly identify themselves. This way, the user would not be forced to identify themselves if they were willing to accept a default configuration, while users who wanted to have their own preference data would have a mechanism to support this. One problem with a scheme like this is that it would be easy to forget to select your name from the registered users, launch a bunch of applications, and then realize that you aren't who you thought you were. Perhaps some preference somewhere would allow you to be prompted for your identity at startup. At the very least though, you would still need the ability to change who you are without having to re-boot. One argument I have heard against that sort of thing is the Mac is a "home computer" (which was true with the 128K machine prehaps, but time have changed just a little -- but I digress). I don't think this argument holds water. My wife and I both use our home machine, and her preferences in certain applications don't match mine at all. People are different, and what makes one person more productive is a hinderance to someone else. > It would be nice if preferences were in a single file (or folder, on the > Mac) that was easy to install and move from machine to machine without > disrupting whatever preferences people normally use on those computers. I like this idea. I think the time for dropping all preference data into the System Folder is passed, but for now, there isn't really much of an alternative for the application developers. > Maybe someday. If it ever happens, I'm guessing that it'll happen on > the Mac before it happens anywhere else. How about in System 8, Apple? As you mentioned yourself, UNIX has had this kind of thing for years. But there is no doubt that Apple could show some leadership in this area over DOS and the like, but some effort would have to spent to determine how best to meet this need. -- - _ Joe Brownlee, Analysts International Corp. @ AT&T Network Systems /_\ @ / ` 471 E Broad St, Suite 1610, Columbus, Ohio 43215 (614) 860-7461 / \ | \_, E-mail: jbr@cblph.att.com Who pays attention to what _I_ say? "Scotty, we need warp drive in 3 minutes or we're all dead!" --- James T. Kirk