Re: RGSG - File & Edit Menus

["Dan Kaminsky" <effugas best com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Vogt <tom@lemuria.org>
To: gnome-gui-list@gnome.org <gnome-gui-list@gnome.org>
Date: Monday, August 03, 1998 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: RGSG - File & Edit Menus


>Dan Kaminsky <effugas@best.com> wrote:
>> It shouldn't matter to the user if the project is composed of one file or
>> many.
>>
>> One file is a file.
>> Database records are files within an organizer.
>> CD Tracks are audio files encoded according to the Redbook standard.
>
>but all this MUST be totally transparent to the user if he doesn't care!


Inside of a physical file I can have papers, balsa wood airplanes, cds, etc.

File means input/output, not really physical file.

>
>> >Computer software is moving away from the file-centric way of viewing
>> >things.  The GNOME Style Guide should not perpetuate
>>
>> BS.  I count this as "we're modern just because we want to sound cool"
>> concepts--tell me when somebody comes up with a computer with no use for
a
>> file system.
>
>you didn't understand what gleef was saying. reread. I'll highlight for
you:
>"moving away from the  file-centric way of VIEWING things."
>
>it doesn't matter  how they are stored or accessed  or treated. the USER
>doesn't give a damn and thus shouldn't be bothered with it. and we're doing
>USER interface stuff here.


Now you're saying we ARE getting rid of file.  Just a while ago, you were
saying I was the only one who WASN'T trying to get rid of file.  Am I
missing something here?

>
>
>> And no, the user shoudn't care where their save file is being
>> saved....locally, remotely, extraterrestrially....they just wanna save.
>
>you got it!  he wants to save. PERIOD. he does NOT want to save file. got
>the difference? save. period. save file? "well, if that's what it takes to
>save, yeah, go ahead."


User wants to save active document.  If they want to save all active
documents, Save All.  Hint:  Active Document = Active File.

>
>
>> Well, like I said, there are TWO file contexts that Exit fulfills:
>
>it DOES NOT MATTER.
>we're writing a style guide so the USER feels well. we don't care about how
>the app or the filesystem feel. if a user selects "Exit", he wants to exit
>THE PROGRAM. that's why "Exit" belongs into the "Program" context, not the
>"File" context. side effects like closing open files are the app's problem,
>not the user's. (plus "quit file" is simply nonsense)


Actually you happen to be wrong.  If GNOME apps, doesn't ask the user if
s/he wants to save if exiting with unsaved files, thats a Level 1
Conformance BUG.