Linux Bigot --Maybe Me -- but why does Windows NEED a registry

Hi Folks

Using Linux for YEARS with decent security -- and all though I like and use Windows too -- why on earth does Windows need a Registry either to keep security or check registration of "Paid For" software.

There's plenty of "Paid For" software available for Linux that doesn't seem to require any sort of "Registry and licenses work OK".

Linux paid for Licences seem to work too -- so what's the point of "The Registry". (Although most software is actually FREE on LINUX there's still a few commercial paid for products that aren't hideous either !!!)

Look Folks I Like Windows-- but I don't get this whole registry thing.

Any Widows Gurus here who can expain the point of it -- be glad to hear.

Cheers
jimbo

The registry is basically a database. It is centralized and hierarchical. It is a way to keep all the configurations needed by the OS organized in a central place. However, you can run software on Windows does that not need to access the registry, like portable apps.

In a galaxy far far away my first use of computers ran Unix as I worked for AT&T. I assume Linux is similar and uses a Package Manager that has a database of all installed packages to keep track and make sure any needed packages that a new program may depend on to operate properly. Many times when installing a program in Unix I needed to install other programs that the new program depended on. I relate the Package Manager in Unix/Linux to the Registry in Windows.

Jim

Windows needs registry for the same reason that Linux needs Filesystem Hierarchy Standard, which is storing system, hardware, and software configuration information.

As for licensed software for the "few commercial paid for products" on Linux, they pretty much work the same way as licensed software works on Windows. It dependent on how intrusive the software company wants to be with their licensing. At the time the program starts up, they can check for valid license, updates, upload telemetry data, etc.

Do not ever tamper with registry. It will probably break your system, most of the time in an unnoticeable way.

slicendice said:

The Windows registry is a brilliant thing. Too bad many software vendors misuse it, make it bloated and don't clean up properly after them selves.

Hi there
I can understand if it would just behave as a "Glorified package manager" but if it's so open to misuse and abuse by all and sundry then IMO a more sensible more tamperproof system should be incorporated.

Internal file access permissions and user level privileges are probably better stored within the OS kernel itself which is (even these days on Windows 10 too) usually well protected.

User paid for licensing stuff doesn't need to be highly complex either. Surely some type of individually generated and encrypted license file valid for that particular user and machine configuration simply needs to be stored in the applications install file. If user moves to a new machine / license expires at end of period user simply logs on to the vendor and a new key is generated.

Another big weakness IMO of the Windows registry is that often configuration is done from it -- mixing configuration and software installation packages together in a "unified data base" seems to also be a big mistake -- most software in Linux that needs any sort of configuration usually has its own configuration file -- often stored in the /etc folder

At least in Linux if you break an applications configuration file it doesn't wreck the whole system and you can usually repair it without too much hassle.

If you break the windows registry -- even a minor mis key stroke *could* render the system not bootable any more -- I'm sure some here have made unwitting errors when messing around with the Windows registry too !!!!!!.

Cheers
jimbo