I never meant for these to be final. Just a starting point. That's why I suggested the creation of a Wiki page, so that anyone may contribute and and reach a final standard that will please most developers. A wiki page would be perfect as well as it can have a discussion page where ideas can be debated. (I even included in the title of the document
version 0.1 because I knew the guidelines were far from being finished or usable.)
As for the Windows-ish nature, you got me. That's what I am familiar with, so it influenced my design a lot. But there is no reason we should stick to my naming convention. (I have even written some alternative names for the HBApplications folder
in the document). All ideas should be put on trial and open for debate.
Regarding XML files, again, I was more familiar with them so I used them instead of json in my first implementation of the guidelines.
To be honest I used the current implementation of the Launcher as a starting point and "borrowed" from it what I believed that would work best and make it easier for developers.
I am familiar with that comic strip from XKCD
, and I am aware of the risk of creating just another standard that nobody will use. But I believe that if most of the more influential developers (and also those who create most of the homebrew content) get together and join forces, a solid standard will emerge that most people will adopt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by geekmaster
... bad notations can stifle progress. Roman numerals hobbled mathematics for a millennium but were propagated by custom and by natural deference to authority. -- Doug (quoted in "the hideous name")
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Another reason for proposing these guidelines is the fact that the platform is still young and most people use their own preferred conventions therefore it gets messy as I stated earlier and can be seen in your quote. Also, if a standard is created now (even one that evolves in time naturally from everybody's code without intention), it will be very hard in the future to change it as the platform matures. That's why I believe that we should act now and give development a custom controlled direction that will also be favorable in the future.
I wish I would have made it clearer from the beginning that my proposed guidelines were just a starting point for a common agreement and NOT just some standards that I and only I like and want to impose upon others.