[Haskell-cafe] Re: Cabal install on Windows 7

[Felix Martini]

> Is there any %LOCALAPPDATA% on Windows XP? If not, what is the
> difference between %LOCALAPPDATA% and %APPDATA% in Windows Vista/7?

XP does not define the %LOCALAPPDATA% environment variable, but it is
equivalent to %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data.

Data in local application data folders remains on one computer and is
not
stored on a Windows server in a Windows domain setting. Data in
application
data folders can be transferred over the local network when a user
accesses his
data on multiple computers. So for larger user data files the local
application
data folder is often more suitable. Microsoft uses the folder for
things like
"click once" applications and Google uses it to store Google Chrome so
people
do not need administrator permission to install it.

I run the Haskell platform on XP with the cabal --user config setting
on a limited
account and i don't have any issues. I think it is better if the
platform itself is
installed by an administrator account and shared by all users like on
Unix.
Ideally in a path without any spaces because that prevents a lot of
issues when
compiling packages that use C bindings. I myself store most software
originating
from the Unix world in C:\Applications instead of C:\Program Files and
the
platform folder should preferably be named HaskellPlatform instead of
Haskell Platform.

Regards,
Felix