folder and directory (was Re: [Proposal] Remove some stuff from Application menu)
- From: John Fleck <jfleck inkstain net>
- To: GNOME Desktop Hackers <desktop-devel-list gnome org>
- Cc: nautilus-list gnome org
- Subject: folder and directory (was Re: [Proposal] Remove some stuff from Application menu)
- Date: 04 Jul 2003 13:06:43 -0600
On Fri, 2003-07-04 at 12:18, Shaun McCance wrote:
> On Fri, 2003-07-04 at 12:06, Reinout van Schouwen wrote:
> > The word 'directory' is thoroughly entrenched in Unix, yet we've chosen to
> > consistently use the word 'folder' instead. This met resistance as well in
> > the beginning but no one who's complaining about that now.
>
> Heh. Read my email and count how many times I said folder. I didn't
> use directory in some deliberate attempt to be Unixy. It's just the
> term I'm more familiar with. Despite the choice of Gnome to use folder,
> lots of people still run around saying directory. The results is that
> users basically have to know that folder == directory, which I think
> most do.
>
> Is that a bad thing? Probably not. Humans are good with synonyms.
> However, I think a similar situation would arise by using 'Personal
> Files'. Users will come across the term 'home directory', and they'll
> have to learn that it's the 'Personal Files' folder. This probably
> isn't too hard on the user, but it rather negates the whole point of
> using 'Personal Files' to begin with.
>
>
We actually have been pretty careful about the definitions of "folder"
and "directory," and how to use each in our documentation and
interface.[1]
Directory - "A special type of file that enables you to organize other
files into a hierarchical structure. Only use the term directory when
you make specific references to the structure of the file system."
Folder - "A representation of a directory in a graphical program. Use
the term folder when you document programs that use folder icons to
represent directories."
Cheers,
John
[1]
http://developer.gnome.org/documents/style-guide/gnome-glossary-generic-terms.html
--
John Fleck
jfleck inkstain net
http://www.inkstain.net
http://www.gnome.org/learn/users-guide/latest/
"Not only isn't reality real - it's an illusion created by unreal people to
sell real people unnecesary cars." - Griffy
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