[ale] gnome desktop: icon size control

[Michael B. Trausch]

On Sat, 8 Aug 2009, Jim Kinney wrote:
> Hmm. That only changes the icons within a nautilus window for me (F11
> 64bit). To change the desktop icon sizes I have to whack in gconf (why
> did gnome people think a database like windows freaking registry was a
> good idea???)

Ahh, but it is nothing like the Windows registry, other than providing a 
set of APIs which can be used to store configuration data.  Instead of a 
binary blob, by default it uses an XML data storage combined with a 
directory tree. However it can be configured to use anything from SQLite 
to PostgreSQL, and set things like system-wide defaults or mandatory 
settings, giving a nice way to button down a system being used in a 
corporate setting and simplifying things, or having a multiuser kisosk, or 
whatever.

It is better than every application having its own configuration file 
format, for desktop software, anyway.  It could be more-used with services 
and the like, but its not.  IIRC, there is a replacement system in the 
works that aims to fix some of gconf's deficiencies, but it is at least 
worlds better than the registry that Windows uses.

 	--- Mike