New file extensions

[Simbax]

Currently, CBOT, Scene and SatCom files are kept in .txt files.

Advantages:

• Less intimidating for non-tech savvy users.
  
• Simpler programming in the engine?
  

Disadvantages:

• No reliable way to automatically detect the files in plugins for various text editors.
  
• Without looking at the contents, the files can be identified only by filename and/or name of the folder they're in. This makes searching and scripting a little harder.
  

The idea of changing the file extensions to something more meaningful existed for a too long time. We should finally decide and make it happen (or not).

No poll this time. At least yet. The subject matter is too complicated for a simple poll. I want everyone interested to answer the following questions:

Question no. 1. Do you want new file extensions? Whatever we choose as the new file extensions, changing them will bring problems with backwards compatibility. It may also be hard to change the engine at all. The changed names may cause problems with existing forks and branches. And there may be some more problems along the way. If you don't want any change, say why, it may be simply because you feel that it is ok like it is right now.

Question no. 2. If yes, what should the extensions be? It's a subjective matter really, it depends if we want to keep the extensions short or if we care more about their readability or if we care more about their consistency or if we care more about no conflicts with popular extensions and so on. So, let's see some propositions which appeared yesterday during a little Slack discussion:

1. Readable but long:
   • .cbot
     
   • .satcom
     
   • .scene (might cause conflicts)
     
2. Short, but less readable, might cause conflicts:
   • .cbot, .cbt?
     
   • .stc, .sat, .scm, .sam, .sac, .com, ...?
     
   • .scn
     
3. Again, short, but less readable, but less conflicts:
   • .cbot
     
   • .cbtm
     
   • .cbts
     
4. More suggestions?
   

No more questions I can think of.