I hear you but
I like your idea and when writing software the first thing I do is if I need to write config files is find a way to do it easy and usually that means copying the way it was done before or just using theirs. But not everyone does this, there are people who want to create their own thing and it's their software, they will do it the way they want to.
Standardizing config files won't happen and here is why; foss software is not about replacing windows. It's not about making software that everyone on the planet will use, it's not about taking over the world. foss software is about choice and sharing. Developer writes some software for himself is how most foss software starts and then they decide to share it. If it works for them it's already met it's whole purpose and is successful, and other people using it is gravy. Some software then go on to be major projects like Linux. But I am sure that the first time Linus was able to run his own kernel and it worked it was a success for him. Now years later releasing a new kernel to everyone is also a success but Linux was a complete success before most of us ever heard of it. So while I applaud your efforts and agree with you on the idea and I will try to hold to it in my coding, foss or otherwise, don't expect everyone to do the same.
And the idea of cutting back on duplicate apps is also a non-starter because of the reason for foss in the first place which is choice and sharing. Cutting back on the choices people have is 100% diametrically opposed to everything foss stands for.
Sorry if I'm a downer, don't take it that way, your idea is already a success if only a few developers switch to using more standard settings.
Thanks.
