What solutions are there to 'ls -a ~' looking so ugly?

[TomX]

Hey,

Don't you just hate it when you:
Code:
ls -a ~


only to find about 100 configuration files.

Wouldn't it be so much nicer and organised if the configuration files where in a configuration directory such as ~/.config

Some programs do put their config files into ~/.config (I know Openbox and Rox do, at least) but for those programs that don't (and won't), is there anyway that config files could be placed in ~/.config and still be able to be read by their programs.

One solution would be to create some sort of global symlink:
Code:
ln -s ~/.config/* ~/*

Of course, this code wouldn't work but I think you get the idea.

Another solution would be to create something similar to the module, mod_rewrite that Apache has, which is pretty much the same as first solution. Would this just be a case of writing a kernel module to check every read/write operation, and redirect any going to ~/.* to ~/.config/* ?

I say *just* a kernel module, but I couldn't write one.

Any ideas/suggestions?
Tom

[Cabhan]

Well, except that what's the point of moving all the config files? The only time that 99% of users would run 'ls -a ~' is to find a config file.

The hidden config directories are usually for when a program has more than one config file, so this does reduce clutter.

And your solutions would prevent any hidden files from being made in ~/. Which makes no sense. If you can create hidden files there, then you have your config files there: if you can't, then all the clutter just moves to ~/.config.

[TomX]

Hmm, yes, I see what you mean. My solutions don't really solve the problem.

I'd still prefer it if config files were in ~/.config though it seems this is down to the author of the application.