Re: "Browse folder" as open (double click) action?

[Toralf Lund <toralf procaptura com>]

Sean Middleditch wrote:

> On Fri, 2004-07-02 at 16:12, Toralf Lund wrote:
>
>  
>
> >   1. Is it really a good idea to have two separate directory viewers,
> >      if a straight-forward interface without unnecessary options is
> >      what we want? Won't the fact that there are two slightly different
> >      views into the filesystem just confuse most users?
> >    
>
> There are still too many instances where Browse can be useful.  Most
> non-technical users will probably never need it though.
>  
I actually know a number of users that I think must be called 
"non-technical" (whatever that means) who think working with files is a 
lot easier in older GNOME revisions, than in Windows 2000 or XP, so you 
never know...

>  
>
> >   2. I absolutely detest the way the file manager will open a new
> >      window every time I enter a new folder.
> >    
>
> Try it for a while.  It makes sense once you understand _why_ it does it
> and how to utilize it properly.
>
> http://www.bytebot.net/geekdocs/spatial-nautilus.html
>  
It's not like I haven't tried it. This isn't anything new, you know.

I didn't like this on MacOS (but at least it had only one "view" in the 
old days, as fas as I recall), and I didn't like it on MS Windows, and I 
don't think I'm going to start liking it now...

Also, the confusion level of different users may vary, but personally, I 
find that it easier to get lost when there are lots of windows on the 
screen; I quite soon get to a stage where I can't find the right one. - 
And find it I often must, if there is no easy way of going back from 
within a file view...

But of course there are many situations where you want to open a folder 
in a new window - I just don't want this as the default behaviour.

> > So, is there a way to get the "browse folder" functionality, or if you 
> > like, old-style Nautilus window, as default open/double-click action? 
> >    
>
> Edit the gconf key /apps/nautilus/preferences/always_use_browse and set
> it to true.
>
> You can use gconf-editor or this one-liner shell command:
> gconftool-2 --type boolean --set
> /apps/nautilus/preferences/always_use_browser true
>
>  
>
> > (Yeah, I know it can be accessed via the context menu, but double-click 
> > is really a lot more convenient.) If not, can I get the simplified file 
> > manager view to re-use the window when entering folders + possibly 
> > present a "parent directory" icon (or "Place" entry)?
> >    
>
> No, because it isn't a "simplified" view, it's a spatial view.  Opening
> folders in the same window completely and absolutely breaks spatial mode
> as it shatters one of the core concepts; you can't _spatially_ navigate
> without having each folder appear in a consistent location, size, and
> state as the last time you opened it.  If it opens in the same window,
> you also then need navigational buttons to go back, forward, up, etc
> - and that's what browser mode is for.
>  
Not really. I believe the traditional way is to simply include a normal 
"folder" icon for the  parent directory to allow you to go up. The 
"navigation" buttons and "tree" view seem to be newer inventions, and 
may definitely may be thought of as extra functionality.

- Toralf