Re: Questions about the spatial interface proposal

[Dave Camp <dave ximian com>]

On Wed, 2003-09-17 at 14:42, Dave Malcolm wrote:
> Some thoughts and questions the spatial interface proposal are below:
> 
> (i) What is customisable?
> Does it cover:
> - positions of files in the icon view

This is saved if you are using manual layout, which isn't on by
default.  There's some argument for using manual layout by default in
spatial mode, but I think the icon container needs some work before we
can reasonably do that.

> - size of files

I assume you mean the size of windows containing files (obviously this
doesn't affect the size of files on disk).  Right now files are treated
just like directories.  However, there's some argument that file views
don't make as much sense in spatial mode, and maybe they should always
be opened in separate apps/viewers.

> - emblems

These don't change.  I've been idly thinking that it would be nice if
the spatial window displayed the emblems set on the folder somehow.

> - sticky notes in a folder, with a _spatial_ position (please!)

There aren't any plans for this, but it's not a bad idea.

> (ii) Is it different for different users?  
> What I mean is that if several users are working on a folder on a server
> somewhere (whether SMB or NFS), can they each rearrange the positions of
> the files in that folder into differing positions, or do they see each
> other position changes?  I suspect it's the former.

The position is stored in the metadata, which is stored in the home
directory.

> (iii) Is it different on different machines?
> If you access the same folder on a server from different machines whilst
> logged in as the same user, do you see the same arrangement of files?

Same thing - if you have an nfs homedir or something, it'll be shared,
if not it won't.

> (iv) Can removable media store the positions of the files in their
> folders?
> This is so that if you insert different Zip disks (or whatever) that
> contain files with duplicate names, each has its own layout of files
> that be individually tailored. 

It is based on uri, so different files in the same disk will have the
same metadata.  That kinda sucks.

> (v) When is the position data stored?
> This needs to be documented so that people can make up meaningful
> backups.  Is it all stored in  ~/.nautilus/metafiles ?

Yep

> (vi) Is "zooming" an appropriate metaphor?
> "Zoom" suggests a view of something.  If the window "is" the directory,
> then surely the terminology should suggest making the icons bigger and
> smaller, rather than zooming in and out of them.

Hrm, that's an interesting point.

-dave