[arachne] Re: I found it!!! was No dialing

Arachne at FreeLists---The Arachne Fan Club!

On Mon, 08 May 2006 12:56:35 +0000, Udo Kuhnt wrote:

> What is all this talk about? I said that I have *always* installed new
> Arachne versions over the old version, and I did not have to re-enter
> the relevant data; Arachne simply used the existing config files.

But when changes in the new version are accompanied by new or
altered items in the new config files, then using the old files
may PREVENT the new features from working.

Think about it: Why does the Arachne installer save old files in
the backup directory when new ones are installed?

Surely that is because it is recognized that the new ones may
work differently from the old ones, but the old ones may contain
important stuff that the user may want to incorporate by hand
into the new versions.

> I think some of the people who are participating in this discussion
> simply do not know what they are talking about since they never tried it
> "the other way".

I have tried it both ways, and come to the conclusion that it is
better to load the new version separately, then check out its
features and work my way slowly into it.

This requires comparing the old config files almost line by line
and ammending the new config files where necesary to incorporate
my custom alterations.

Or in some case NOT to incorporate them as the new version makes
them redundant.

> This kind of talk could easily make Arachne appear as
> being overly complicated to setup and maintain, so please think before
> you talk, lest you scare off people who are interested in it.

That is a danger. So let it be stressed that Arachne _can_ be
used directly from a simple uncomplicated installation.

Certainly Arachne can be complicated. But that is only when you
need to delve into its works to customise it to the your
personal needs and desires.

Upgrading to a new version is a bit like buying a new car. If you
want to step into it and drive it away, it will do that. But if
you want all the custom add-ons from the old car to be installed
in the new one, it takes a lot more work.

Some things may move across "one for one" into the new version,
but not necessarily everything. Each one needs to be looked at
individually and carefully to see that some new feature is not
going to be compromised.

> If you mention that configuration files are being overwritten, then
> please also say which files you refer to.

I can't remember who it was made that claim, but most likely it
was a misunderstanding on his part.

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