Re: [boost] [filesystem] home_directory_path

Subject: Re: [boost] [filesystem] home_directory_path
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-10-20 08:37:55

Alexander Churanov wrote:
> 2010/10/20 Stewart, Robert <Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden]>:
> > They are definitely not the same.  As I stated elsewhere,
> > the user's home directory is equivalent to C:\ on a Windows
> > system.  The user shouldn't put "user-generated content"
> > there.  It should be in some subdirectory as preferred by the
> > user, which you understood when you wrote "under" in the
> > quoted sentence.
>
> I completely disagree on "C:\". The ${HOME} is user-specific, while
> "C:\" is not.

The latter is nearly true as Windows is only barely multi-user.

> It is not uncommon to put documents (including textual) in different
> subdirectories under ${HOME}. For example, on my machine "lf ~" lists
> "examples" and "tasks" as different directories. To my mind, none of
> them entirely corresponds to "My Documents", but the whole ${HOME}
> does.

My Documents, being at once user specific and not the root directory of a drive maps well to a subdirectory of the user's home directory, not to the home directory itself.  Again, it is poor practice to overpopulate one's home directory, just as over-populating C:\ is poor practice; Filesystem should not establish that as a default.  The policy should be determined by the client, not by Filesystem as there is no agreement.

> Another argument: some desktop environments place an icon on the
> desktop, which opens ${HOME}. Along with "System" and "Trash" this
> looks very related to default Windows icons.

That there's a button to access one's home directory in no way implies that the home directory must be the default location of user-generated content.  Instead, it means the GUI doesn't know what the user might want to view, but that the home directory is the likely starting point for finding it.

_____
Rob Stewart                           robert.stewart_at_[hidden]
Software Engineer, Core Software      using std::disclaimer;
Susquehanna International Group, LLP  http://www.sig.com

IMPORTANT: The information contained in this email and/or its attachments is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by reply and immediately delete this message and all its attachments. Any review, use, reproduction, disclosure or dissemination of this message or any attachment by an unintended recipient is strictly prohibited. Neither this message nor any attachment is intended as or should be construed as an offer, solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument. Neither the sender, his or her employer nor any of their respective affiliates makes any warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of any of the information contained herein or that this message or any of its attachments is free of viruses.