I darcs got this[1] repo.  Without thinking, I added entries to
_darcs/prefs/boring; they had no effect, presumably because ./.boring
is an explicit boringfile.

This is confusing; perhaps getting a repo with an explicit boringfile
should not create _darcs/prefs/boring.

[1] http://common-lisp.net/project/fetter/darcs/verrazano
-- 
Trent Buck, Student Errant

I'm not sure I'm keen on this idea, because whoever implements this will have to
be a bit careful, for example, to make sure that we re-generate a boringfile if
we ever remove the boringfile pref.

I suggest a "wont-fix" resolution for this. 

While I agree it is confusing, it is also fairly normal to have a system of a
override files, and the documentation about "boring" files is already clear
about what's happening:

http://darcs.net/manual/node5.html#SECTION00510040000000000000