[FwarkALark]

[flagged]

[flohofwoe]

It's arguably a better idea than the dot-file- and /etc- mess on Linux tbh.

The Windows registry is just a system-wide key/value database.

[JdeBP]

Actually, it's a combination of several such databases, some system-wide and some per-user.

And they're held in files. So if "I don't even give a damn what format the file is in" were true, registry hive files are not a problem per se. They are just files, too. They are just not text files, as many database files on computers are not.

[skissane]

I think the Windows registry is a classic example of a great idea in theory, but with regrettable quality of execution.

It could have been done a lot better. With a schema, self-documenting, with an integrated package database, with less insane legacy cruft.

But some of that's what you get with 30 years of history, with many decisions made in another era when resources were much more limited

[bigstrat2003]

Yep, I think the registry is far better than the mess of files on Linux. On Windows the answer to "where is this configured", 95% of the time, is the registry. I'm not saying it's perfect, because it isn't. But it's better than files scattered everywhere.

[Ennea]

Not just a system-wide key/value database, but one with a few optimizations on top, if memory serves me right. It's in-memory first, which I suppose makes it a tad faster and is also neat for reducing disk writes on anything that receives a lot of changes in a short amount of time.

I think the concept is not too shabby. Perhaps not the best execution or tooling, but on paper, it sounds quite useful.

[midasuni]

Easier to work with files, I can grep them, version them, diff them, edit them with any tool I want.

[phinnaeus]

I think the main point of this rant is how horrible regedit is. IMO it's a fair point.

[mmsc]

Stepping aside for a moment, I chuckled at the ideas of "The Registry", as if it's some Government body in a dystopian world. Thank you for your comment.

[GoblinSlayer]

Windows doesn't prohibit you from using better tooling.