Re: File dialogs: Miscellaneous

[Christian Rose <menthos menthos com>]

"Michael T. Babcock" wrote:
> > Eeeek... Are you serious?
> > It sounds like you never actually used previewing of files (for example
> > in the Gimp) and realized how useful, and essential, it can be.
> 
> I use them all the time.  My files are well catalogued using folders and
> good names.  I link my files to multiple folders if they fit different
> categories.  I use my filesystem as a well organised database.

Well, you're the exception. I believe most people don't have time to be
so pedantic that their harddrives (or home directories) look like well
organized databases. They use a handful of folders at best and that's
it.


> > Take a digital camera - it obviously won't spit out file names with
> > descriptive namings, unless it has some AI, which I doubt any digital
> > cameras have today.
> 
> So you open them once, with previews, and rename them all.

Most people don't have the time, or the will, to do that. That's how
things are.
Okay, some users write shell/perl scripts for mass renaming but
remember, we're talking about people that want to use a GUI, and/or
people that aren't programmers, here.


> > Should you have to open 100+ different pictures just to find the one
> > you're interested in?
> 
> No, the first time, you should have them catalogued properly.  Otherwise,
> use the functionality I mentioned of having something like Eazel's
> previewing built-in as a plug-in (read my whole response, don't just respond
> to #1).

Usually, the pictures are a huge bunch of files in one directory, yes,
and they _don't_ have desciptive names if they're automatically
generated, or from a digital camera or so.

Sorry that I just responded to your #1 option in my initial comment,
it's just that I found the concept of dismissing the need for automatic
preview as a sign of user carelessness in the first place a quite
challenging attitude.

On the other hand, I really liked your #3 alternative, so let's not get
exaggerated about my comments until you read _my_ whole reply, okey?


> > Yes, Nautilus capability of showing metadata in the file view is very
> > attractive. I don't know how that would affect performerance for a
> > simple file dialog though. Perhaps the default Zoom level for file
> > dialogs should be set to 50% or so, to improve speed (I assume everybody
> > here following discussion has tested the Nautilus preview release and
> > how files are shown).
> 
> This replies to your strange reply to my #1.  My #1 was one case ... this is
> the other.  They are both interactive ...

No, the Nautilus alternative doesn't require interaction to show
previews, as the icon view is the default and the preview function comes
hand in hand with the icon view.


> > I'm asking this question now, because it has to be asked some time:
> > Do the want to mimic Nautilus file view? I don't mean exactly letting
> > the file dialog being a complete Nautilus clone functionality-wise
> > (horror) but merely borrow it's file view and "Zoom" paradigm in the
> > file dialog.
> 
> No, we want to _use_ it as a bonobo component.  :-)

I perfectly agree. Friends?
I noticed that Jörg's example didn't include a Nautilus bonobo component
for the file view though.... :-(

And, yes, I forgot about the in-place rename thingie that comes
hand-in-hand with Nautilus... But a rename button might still be needed,
that toggles the selected file in in-place rename mode or off (the
normal selected state).


Christian



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Christian Rose
http://www.menthos.com                    	    menthos@menthos.com
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