Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!microsoft!kensy
From: kensy@microsoft.UUCP (Ken SYKES)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms
Subject: Re: Editor...
Message-ID: <58322@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 17 Oct 90 23:48:40 GMT
References: <90280.143318CC65MGTW@MIAMIU.BITNET> <kF5sq3w163w@zooid.UUCP> <122816@linus.mitre.org> <1990Oct10.232950.20637@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu>
Reply-To: kensy@microsoft.UUCP (Ken SYKES)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 23


This is all personal opinion so take it with a grain of salt...

For the most part, users should never have to edit an INI file.  Most of
the INI file contents are specific to individual applications.  It is up 
to the app to make sure its section of an INI file is maintained properly.

Now, this just leaves the Windows system sections.  For these, there should
be a system icon or something in the control panel that allows these settings
to be edited in an intuitive mannar.  This is a different statement than 
saying windows should have an intelligent ini editor: Windows should only
have to understand the sections of ini files that it uses.

There is a problem with the above solution though: Most of these functions
require the user to restart windows.  Control Panel isn't the type of app
that makes the user restart windows - the setup program is.  So, this would
be a more appropriate place for editing system INI sections.

If users REALLY want to edit INI files manually, then any of the existing
tools are adequate for this purpose.  

Ken Sykes
Disclaimer: The above opinions are solely my own.