Without getting into the details of the specific technology (app.config, etc.), I would argue that config should go into files instead of databases. For all the

Without getting into the details of the specific technology (app.config, etc.), I would argue that config should go into files instead of databases. For all the problems with poorly-structured file-based application configuration that OP points out, the same practices but using a database lead to far worse consequences. One important advantage of files is that their lifecycle can be managed separately from user application data (which tends to be in the database) and potentially even be put under source control.