Re: File selection dialog changes

["Jesse D. Sightler" <jsight pair com>]

>Yipes!  Think this one through very carefully!  Consider the
>following quote from the Interface Hall of Shame, in a section
>devoted specifically to addressing the faults with Windows'
>common dialogs:
>
>http://www.iarchitect.com/file95.htm

>
>>   Attention Deficit Disorder
>>
>> An application uses the common Open File dialog simply
>> to allow you to specify the file to be worked on.  Why
>> is it then, that the Open File dialog allows you to
>> rename files, delete files, create new folders, send
>> files to the printer, send a fax, save a file to a
>> floppy disk, try to convert a bitmap file to an Excel
>> spreadsheet, edit a file with a different application,
>> create an e-mail message. and so on, all while the
>> calling application is waiting for the name of the file
>> you want it to work on? This is bizarre!

No, it's really just convenient.  I love being able to print documents from
the open file dialog in Word rather than having to first open the document,
then click print, and then click close.  I love being able to move a file
from within Word's file dialogs, rather than leaving the application,
opening Explorer, moving the file, closing explorer, and going back to word.
These are not bad things, they are critical features for power users.  These
are options that should be there for those that want them.

And, BTW, their example of Microsoft's "change" in style is completely
misguided.  The dialog that they show is designed explicitly FOR moving
files (or bookmarks) and therefore it very obviously SHOULD have the buttons
for moving and copying files explicitly listed.  Most other dialogs should
not.

>IMHO, this feature should stay out of GNOME proper, unless it
>passes the approval of the core GNOME developers (which I doubt
>will happen).  It's a can of worms, and probably not the best way
>to go.  This functionality belongs once, in the file manager, not
>duplicated in every application.

I agree that it shouldn't be duplicated.  That's why we need a file manager
Baboon object that can be easily embedded in any ol' File Dialog.  So that
users can easily have these features as well as libVFS support and other
wonderful things.  And, yes, this is a Gnome 1.1 feature, and definately
won't/shouldn't make 1.0 at this point.
______________
Jesse D. Sightler
http://www3.pair.com/jsight/