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From: kscott@cgl.ucsf.edu (Kevin Scott)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Why are prefs put in files, not resources?
Message-ID: <kscott.665011063@locke.mmwb.ucsf.edu>
Date: 27 Jan 91 21:17:43 GMT
References: <2970@casbah.acns.nwu.edu>
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In article <1991Jan10.044428.6108@spool.cs.wisc.edu>, tonyrich@titanic 
(Anthony Rich) writes:
>If a program allows user-preference settings to be saved, it usually
>creates one or more "preferences" or "settings" files in the System 
>Folder.
>Why aren't the preferences stored in a resource within the program itself,
>instead (say, in a PREF resource)?

jln@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (John Norstad) writes:
1)
>One very big reason is virus protection on file servers.  Applications 
>should never modify themselves so that server administrators can place 
>them in read-only folders on servers.  If an application is stored in a 
>read-only folder on a server, it cannot get infected by network users.

2) For multiple users or even a single user with capricious tastes, a well
behaved application will let you double click on the prefs to launch an
application.  My wife and I both share a machine, and even I have been known
to keep two prefs for text (Palitino to mail letters, New York for
readable onscreen text for my own notes).