Re: What I think spatial nautilus needs

[Christian Schneider <c schneider scram de>]

> > People, generally, will understand that the window for /home/foo and the
> > window for /home/foo/bar are the same type of window.  If there are any
> > actions for the file manager application, I think most people would
> > expect to see them on those windows.  People are getting way too caught
> > up with the metaphor, and they're losing sight of what's useful.
> >    
>
> I thought people were expected to think of a spatial Nautilus window 
> not as filemanager but _the_folder_.
> But you're right, strictness shouldn't hurt usefulness.
>
>
> Besides being related to the represented folder another criterium has 
> to be relation to Nautilus itself / not having another place to be put.
>  
The problem is that there is no general nautlilus menu. One way would be 
to have a menu on top of the screen like in Mac OS, but this is probably 
out of question...

> > But if we want to be consistent and get rid of Places and not provide
> > bookmarks, then we should also remove the following:
> >    
> >
> > File -> Open Location...
> >    
>
> Well, it at least starts with the current path. But it would be better 
> to have a global Open Location, that works with paths und urls like 
> Run Application does (which could be combined/replaced with it).
> Could go under Actions.
>
>  
In any case there should be a global keyboard shortcut. So it is always 
available.

>  
>
> > File -> Connect to Server...
> >    
>
> Actions menu? Having it in all Nautilus windows is so arbitrary, if you 
> think about it. Who would expect it where it is now?
>  
Connect to Server creates Icons on the desktop and on Computer. So it 
should be at least in the context menu when you click right mouse button 
on desktop and computer.

> > Edit -> Preferences
> >    
>
> Direct relation to Nautilus, affects how every folder will be 
> represented. Could be only in Applications->Desktop Prefs, 
> but it's a nice shortcut ;-)
>  
Application -> Desktop Prefs is very indirect. I suppose many people 
wouldn´t find it. Could be also in the context menu of Desktop. At the 
moment we have "use default background" and "change desktop background" 
in the context menu.  This seems a little redundan.

In Fedora the Desktop Prefs are even more hidden. They are on 
Application -> Preferences -> More Preferences -> Desktop Prefs. Took me 
a while to find it there ;-) Is this a gnome standard setup or did the 
guys at fedora put it there?

> Back to Places:
> All what is listed there already has nice representations 
> elsewhere. Except CD Creator, which would make more sense handled 
> like app with its own file format (somewhat comparable to Fileroller).
> Places would still make sense as menu besides Applications and Actions.
>  
Perhaps a cd writer could get a permanent icon on the desktop. When 
there is no cd in the writer it could open the cd creator when clicked.  
When there is a blanc cd in it the same could happen. And when there is 
a normal cd in it the behaviour could be like a normal cd drive. Perhaps 
there could be an Action menu entry "Create CD" that opens the CD 
crerator even if a normal CD is inserted.

> The Places are realy fixed bookmarks.
> The problem I have with all the calls for bookmarks:
> For local files using bookmarks is all about building an additional 
> flat listing or rather flat hierarchy for already organized files 
> and folders. Wouldn't it make more sense to better organize stuff in 
> the first place than building another, additional structure?
>  
I do something different for my desktop. I create links to my most 
important folders directly on the desktop.
This is a quite good replacement for file system bookmarks. Perhaps we 
should provide access to the Desktop contents in the Actions menu. So 
you can reach these entries even if there are several windows over the 
icons. This would map the current locations quite well and can be 
extended by the user.

> I'm not strictly against bookmarks. But they make more sense on a  
> global level (panel).
>
>  
Bookmarks on the panel that are synchronised with your browser sound 
great. It would be nice anyway to have a standard for bookmarks between 
browsers. So you can switch your browser and the bookmarks stay.
I would leave the bookmarks of the browser and the filesystem separated. 
My browser boomarks are quite cluttered but the file system bookmarks 
should stay clean.


Christian Schneider