Parsing of Config files (was Re: GRUB installation thoughts)

["Fredrick Paul Eisele" <kzccb2@ameritech.net>]

I am just a humble user but seeing as Erich asked for what
user's would like to see as enhancements...
I would like to see the menu.lst file be converted to XML.
I belive there are several efforts to provide general purpose
configuration file editors based on XML.

So, the floppy's menu.lst can look something like this:
==============================
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<grub version="0.5.3">
  <delay>300</delay> <!-- in milliseconds -->

  <image "default">
      <title>Install Debian GNU/Hurd</title>
      <root>fd0</root>
      <kernel>/boot/gnumach.gz</kernel>
  </image>

  <image>
      <title>Boot an installed Debian GNU/Hurd system</title>
      <root>hd:0x63</root>
      <kernel>/boot/gnumach.gz</kernel>
  </image>

  <image>
     <title>Install GRUB in the Debian GNU/Hurd root partition</title>
     <root >hd:0x63</root>
     <install>(fd0)+1 (hd:0x63) (hd:0x63)/boot/grub/fs_stage1_5 0x2000
p</install>
  </image>
</grub>

==========================
As there are several ways that the menu could be presented (as Gordon and
Erich have discussed).  Maybe that problem would be best addressed
external to GRUB proper (i.e. via stylesheets & whatever).
This could even help with the issue of indexing the boot device, i.e. store
the "correct/consistent"  information and display whatever.
Thanks for listening