Re: Another way to solve the Spatial vs. Navigational debate

[Luca Ferretti <elle uca libero it>]

Il giorno mer, 21/12/2005 alle 19.24 -0500, John (J5) Palmieri ha
scritto:
> As a new user how do I know what I want?  I haven't used either yet.  As
> a power user I know how to change the default so first login dialogs are
> really not much of an improvement.

Let me spend 2 more words about this dialog and spatial vs Navigational
debate (I'm replying to you, but it's a reply to all comments I read):

      * Nautilus is the only file manager[1] to provide spatial and
        navigational UI: this is good. I repeat: GOOD. Anyone can use it
        in the best mode _for himself_. 
      * If GNOME people will choose to keep the spatial UI by default,
        some users will blame, asking for the navigational. If they will
        choose to switch to the navigational as default, other users
        will blame. If they will choose spatial or navigational, some
        users will toggle the settings without blaming. I mean: the
        spatial vs navigational is not a simple tuning (increase or
        decrease the font size or change the theme), it changes your
        approach to computer (the desktop is the computer) and depends
        on your past experiences (are you a 10 years old Win user? or a
        Mac user?[2]) and your individuality.
      * We don't have any "Introduction to GNOME" manual that could
        explain you how the spatial really works (middle click to
        open-and-close, use list view to "browse" descendants...). So
        the spatial UI is a mess for new and no-nautilus-fan users: "I
        can't manage all that windows on my screen!!"
      * Currently the option to toggle between navigational and spatial
        is 'hidden' in the file preferences dialog. So if you really
        hate the spatial or it's not good for you, you have to find it.

My conclusion is: expose that nautilus is both spatial and navigational,
that nautilus is what-you-need. 

Maybe the fist time dialog is not the best way to do, bet let users know
they can switch or toggle between spatial and navigational. IMHO this is
more important then choose the default mode to set.

PS No, I don't think this is against "choose the better way and cut
options". As I said the difference between spatial and navigational mode
is big; I don't think we can "choose the better way" for all (or at
least most) users. If someone really think that navigational is the
Right Thing (C) for all users, he should open a bug against nautilus
asking to remove the spatial UI. This is what Microsoft did switching
from Win95 to Win98. But we are GNOME, we are all about freedom to
choice. ;-)


[1] well, I suppose now Apple Finder is fully navigational.
[2] about this: here is on bugzilla a feature request: "eject CD
dragging on trash as in MacOS"; we know it's a really really really bad
design, but someone, probably an old mac user, feet it comfortable.