Nautilus 2.6 - We're going all spatial

[Dave Camp <dave ximian com>]

During the nautilus 2.4 cycle there was some discussion on
nautilus-list about the "Object Oriented" metaphor vs. the "Navigation
Metaphor".  That thread started at
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/nautilus-list/2002-September/msg00093.html
(read that mail if you need an introduction to the OO and Navigation
metaphors).

Our general opinion coming out of that thread was that the Object
Oriented metaphor was probably easier to learn, and built a stronger
conceptual model for users, but that the convenience benefits of a
navigation window outweighed those.

For the 2.6 cycle, the nautilus crew is trying out a new UI that
should give us the best of both worlds.  The idea is present an object
oriented UI from the desktop, but to allow users to open navigation
windows if they prefer them.  This means that opening a folder from
the desktop will give you an object window.  Opening folders from
object windows will give you new object windows.  You can right click
on a folder from an object window and select "Navigate Folder"[1], and
get a normal nautilus window.

I want to emphasize that we are not removing the navigation window.
People who use this window and like it can continue to.  This is also
not a first step toward removing the navigation window.  The
navigation window is a central part of nautilus, and will not be
removed.  We think that splitting the object-oriented bits of nautilus
into their own world will let us make the navigator act more like you
expect it to.

This interface is partially inspired by the interface described in
http://arstechnica.com/paedia/f/finder/finder-1.html .  Interested
parties should read that before getting involved in the discussion.

For this UI to succeed, we need to iron out all of the details.  We'd
like people to pound on the object ui and take notes on the things
that bother them.  After you've done this for awhile, we'd like to see
your comments on nautilus-list gnome org   You can get it from the
nautilus-spatial-playground branch of nautilus.

I'll be following this mail up with a more detailed list of the work
that's been done and needs to be done.

Thanks,
- The nautilus crew 

[1] In the branch right now, this is Open With -> Navigation Window,
but that will be changed.