Specification for per directory settings

[Adrien BUSTANY]

Patryk Zawadzki a écrit :
> On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 10:20 AM, Adrien BUSTANY <madcat at mymadcat.com> wrote:
>   
>> I like the extended attributes too, they're clearly the cleanest way to
>> store that information. In the case where extended attributes are not
>> available, we cannot always use a hidden file in the folder, I'm thinking
>> for example of a read only volume. In that case I think Dolphin fall backs
>> to a central setting file, though I don't know the details.
>>     
>
> Central database comes at a price of an ever-growing file hidden
> somewhere in your filesystem. Also what happens if I try to save some
> settings for a CD or DVD? Does it remember the absolute path (bad) or
> the mountint point and relative path (equally bad) or does it try to
> get a GUID for the media (but not the drive as I can put the same disc
> into another drive at some later point in time)?
>
> I think supporting *saving* to read-only file systems is just not
> worth it (and can create confusion if people start complaining that
> they can customize the CD but it doesn't work when moved to another
> machine or that they can customize the looks but moving files around
> does not work).
>
> Just my 0.02 zloty (PLN).
>
>   

OK, let's forget the read only media for now then...
The only downside I see with hidden files is the following usecase :
Tom uses windows, and gives his usb key to Sally
Sally plugs the usb key into her linux system, and changes some sorting 
properties. The file manager creates a .directory (or whatever it's 
called) file on the usb key.
When Tom gets the usb key back, he sees lot of dot files, and doesn't 
know what they're about.
I don't know if dot files are automatically marked as "hidden" in the 
FAT sense when using a FAT fs on Linux... How do we address that ?

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