MinimServer complexity (was Configuration Backup)

[DavidHB]

(29-09-2014 13:42)simoncn Wrote:  To clarify, I haven't proposed providing any automated way to restore settings. If I can implement an automated way to produce a text file that is effectively a more convenient equivalent of making screenshots of the tabs in the Properties dialog, this would still require the user to enter these settings manually in the event of needing to restore.

Point noted. When the restore file is plain text, copying and pasting (which I use now) ought not to be beyond the capabilities of most users, so, in relation to the original requirement, this seems to be a viable solution.

(29-09-2014 13:42)simoncn Wrote:  Your suggestion of users sharing their settings is interesting but I think it would create major problems with users attempting to use someone else's settings without understanding what the settings mean. This would lead to frustration and confusion when things didn't work as expected (or just didn't work)

I am sure that your concern is valid (though I am less sure how 'major' the problems would be in practice). The issue is then: how to tempt the 'non-technical' new user into adopting MinimServer and learning its capabilities for themselves.

In my experience, 'non-technical' is more often an issue of attitude or confidence than of actual capability. By definition, 'out-of-box' will incorporate settings that new users will not understand unless and until they read the manual, which they may or may not be interested and confident enough to do. So the risk you describe is present to some degree in any case.

If the installation were to offer alternative out-of-box settings, the benefit of giving the new user tested options that are easy to adopt would arguably outweigh the slightly increased risk. Perhaps if the settings file worked like many Linux configuration files and, next to each setting, had comments that described its usage, this would allow the user to do 'intelligent' copying and pasting, and would provide some training as a useful by-product. I grant you that this is hardly 'fire and forget' or even menu-based configuration, but it would make the learning curve a good deal less steep for many new users.

I hope that these ideas are useful, if only as a stimulus to further thought.

David