Gnucash 2.4.0 (Windows)

[Colin Scott]

> The problem is in gconf, not Gnucash.

I understand that, and yes, it is a significant point.  Nonetheless, if the basic assumption (that in Windows you must have an internet connection in order to start gnucash 2.4.0) is true then this is a serious bug in gnucash, even if it is not in the gnucash code.  (This latter point is IMHO too fine a distinction to be meaningful or relevant to the user, however relevant it may be - and undoubtedly is - to the developers!)

> This has been true since 2008 at least 

I note from the Bugzilla entry you reference in a later message that the bug actually dates back to 2006.  I do not see this as in any way excusing the inclusion of so serious a bug - very much the opposite, in fact, and in my view calls into question the soundness of subsequent design and/or implementation decisions.  I accept that to some extent developers are in the hands of their library providers, and I also note from the same Bugzilla entry that the problem only seems to affect certain versions of Windows, which I accept does provide some (limited!) mitigation.  However, my presumption would still be that the developer should be in a position to get problems fixed, or fix them themselves, or find a way of by-passing them, before product release, or at least that there should be some warning of significant malperformance.  That apparently such a bug remains in place some 4 years after being reported does not imply that such matters are taken sufficiently seriously.

I continue to liberally sprinkle "apparently" and similar words throughout my text, as there seems to remain some doubt as to the actual extent of the problem, and whether (for example) if it didn't bite in 2.2 it will or will not bite in 2.4.  Therefore my complaint is, I fully admit, somewhat hypothetical!  Some authoritative input on this would be welcome, preferably *before* before this thread develops into too much of a witch-hunt.  :-)

Colin