Program configuration files in .desktop file?

[Dylan McCall]

So, just today I was thinking how wonderful it would be if programs like
F-Spot put the tag information for photos in the user's Photographs
directory, such that copying photographs also magically copied the tag
database. Then, on a slightly different topic, I realized that backing
up configuration for programs is a horrific act because they all put
their junk in different places; the only straight-forward way for a
backup tool to say "back up Rhythmbox's settings?" is for it to
hard-code where Rhythmbox stores its settings. Then I remembered that
any decent user-pointing program makes itself known at least through
a .desktop file which, among other things, makes that program appear in
the Open With menu for files.

Rather than trying hopelessly to standardize config file locations
(which will lead to nothing of note), why not add an optional line to
the Desktop Entry Specification which points to the location of
configuration files for a program? In this way, a backup tool could
gather a list of all installed programs and offer to store their
configuration directories. Does this already happen? Is there a
particular reason it does not?
Maybe the thought here is completely ridiculous, out of scope or useless
compared to, for example, some dbus magic. Just food for thought,
really!

Bye,
-Dylan
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/sounder/attachments/20080318/bf56aa43/attachment.pgp