[the_mitsuhiko]

The .lr format is easy to explain: it conforms to data models and is easy to parse and generate. Frontmatter does not fit into these requiements. I tried it quite a bit but it makes everything more complex. Not worth it.

[rcarmo]

Well (and this is only an opinion) having to separate each field makes it harder to edit manually, and a new file extension will be a hassle for non-technical users who want to use their favorite editor.

(I went with .txt/.md/.textile to support multiple markup engines and make it easier for people to edit with literally anything)

[the_mitsuhiko]

> Well (and this is only an opinion) having to separate each field makes it harder to edit manually, and a new file extension will be a hassle for non-technical users who want to use their favorite editor.

A non technical user would use the admin interface.

Obviously a custom file extension is not particularly nice but there is really not that much one can do around that. Renaming the file to `.md` will not magically make things better because the contents are just wrong and the Markdown format just does not do what Lektor needs.