[gedit-list] preferences in multiple files

[Mrinal Kant <mrinal kant gmail com>]

I am new to gnome.
I have a simple question.
Why are preferences stored in so many files and directories when they could have been stored in a single xml file?
Also, some files (accelerator keys, metadata) are in .gnome2 and plugins are required to be extracted in yet another directory.
Wouldn't it be neater to have all of these in one directory and have fewer files within that directory?