Config files just work
Config files are about a million times better than the clusterfuck that is the windows registry. Allow me to list their advantages:
- they allow machine level defaults to be established, with user level overrides.
- they're human readable.
- they allow mixing of data and information and examples. Most config files are self documenting, packed with comments and examples that tell you how to configure the app. When'd you last see a cryptic registry entry that had some help embedded?
- they don't allow things to be hidden or obfuscated like the registry and its UUID and hidden pages and binary values bullshit.
- they can't be corrupted or broken, like the Windows registry tends to get.
- they can be selectively backed up and restored. If an app is misbehaving for a user, you can pull their config from a week ago. Try doing that easily with a registry, if you even knew what branches and keys needed restoring.
- apps can't mess with other apps config settings, or add malicious keys or startup apps.
- getting rid of an apps config is as simple as removing its directory/file in /etc or its dotfile in your home dir. Try getting rid of an app that's vomited all over the registry.
- they play nice with source control systems. Stick your /etc into svn and you have effortless, incredibly strong configuration management. Try doing that with apps that spew cryptic registry keys, all constantly changing.
- they're not proprietary, can be read, edited, by anyone. Has microsoft even documented the registry file format, or are all the registry editors just guessing from reverse engineering them?
That's just off the top of my head. There's probably loads more reasons.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
