Re: [boost] [filesystem] home_directory_path

Subject: Re: [boost] [filesystem] home_directory_path
From: Christian Holmquist (c.holmquist_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-10-20 14:11:10

On 20 October 2010 11:42, Alexander Churanov <alexanderchuranov_at_[hidden]>wrote:

> 2010/10/20 Stewart, Robert <Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden]>:
> > Common knowledge.  Windows is a single user system with multi-user
> functionality overlaid.  All users have full access to C:\.
>
> I'm afraid that isn't true. Search using google for "vista access to C
> drive".
>
>
>
If we disregard historical reasons for why things behave as they do on
Windows, to me it's quite clear that C:\ (or the OS root drive) is not each
user's $HOME path. They may or may not have write access outside their own
My Documents (or Users) but that doesn't change anything. You can setup a
NIX system that way too probably, allowing full access everywhere. $HOME
would remain however.

Are those people advocating for $HOME on Windows to be anything else than My
Documents really Windows users? I've been trough development of fixing
pre-Vista developed applications to work, and the times where one could just
ignore access rights on Windows is long gone.
IMO Boost.Filesystem should follow best practices for each supported
platform, and using C:\ as default user folder or the obscure USERPROFILE is
IMO not good practice on Windows.

Christian