Re: [Nautilus-list] Integration of gmc and nautilus desktop directories.

[Maciej Stachowiak <mjs eazel com>]

Tuomas Kuosmanen <tigert ximian com> writes:

> 
> The reason I am talking about this: On windows / mac there exists the
> File Selector. The File Selector knows about the desktop and defaults
> your saves there. But on Un*x there is no "The File Selector". There are
> "Legacy NON-GNOME Applications" like our dear web browser Mozilla. Or
> The Gimp. I dont think it is reasonable to assume that users will not
> use any non-gnome applications. Why should they learn to know where
> their desktop directory is?

File selectors should not default to saving to the desktop. That would
make your desktop messy pretty fast.

> Can someone with real user interface experience give some real input on
> this so I know if I am on crack or not? :-) Or are we just trying to
> "Make UNIX not suck, as long as it does not involve my $HOME!" :)

MacOS X, BeOS and NeXT are unix-like systems designed by people with
real user interface experience. In each case, the desktop is distinct
from the user's home directory. So I think the people with real user
interface experience have kind of spoken on this issue.

Of course, there is a great way to prove lots of people with user
interface wrong - do some user testing. If you'd like to do some user
tests on this issue, I bet you can find lots of people to help you
design some appropriate test cases. User testing is a much better way
to resolve disagreements about UI issues than armchair debate on
mailing lists. 

In fact, I remember suggesting user testing to you on #nautilus, and I
don't recall anyone calling your idea "evil" or "wrong". So seriously,
do some formal user testing, it's a really educational experience.

-- 
Maciej Stachowiak
Eazel, Inc.