Poettering: Revisiting how we put together Linux systems

A distinction with no difference. Behaviour is the result of code, and code is experienced as behaviour.

"Now maybe GNOME's behaviour *is* broken, that sharing a $HOME between multiple versions doesn't work properly, and it's just because I don't do that that I've never noticed."

That is correct, but also incomplete. Since GNOME screwed this up, they set a (bad) example that has been followed by others as well, and I am afraid today you will find so many commonly used programs have now emulated the breakage that it's widespread and this essential core OS feature is now practically defunct.

Of course YMMV, but in my universe, the damage done in this single, relatively small domain, done simply by not caring and setting a bad example and being followed by those who know no better, is orders of magnitude greater than their positive contributions. I am not trying to be mean I am simply being honest.