Re: [Nautilus-list] "Folder" vs. "Directory" terminology

[Seth Nickell <snickell stanford edu>]

I don't know if there was user testing behind the choice...but... What
is a "directory" in standard parlance? Certainely somebody shown a
picture of one of the Nautilus "folder/directory" icons would not say it
was a picture of a directory. The word "folder" corresponds to the
folder icon, which is already in standard use.

IMO, to use the term directory while displaying a "folder" is a bad
choice, and offhand I can't think of an icon that conveys the notion of
a "directory/folder" in a way that is markedly superior to "folder".
Without any reason to "be different" we shouldn't be different, since
that's likely to cause unnecessary confusion.

-Seth

On 26 Jun 2001 23:52:24 +0200, Christian Rose wrote:
> Nautilus uses "folder" everywhere in its user interface. While "folder"
> is not uncommon in GNOME, many other applications use "directory".
> 
> I'm wondering if Eazel did some user testing to support this terminology
> decision? What where the motives behind, except it being used in MacOS
> and Windows?
> The reason I'm asking is that I personally want a more consistent
> terminology used in GNOME applications, so it would be nice to know the
> results of user testing on terminology alternatives like those above.
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> Christian
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Nautilus-list mailing list
> Nautilus-list lists eazel com
> http://lists.eazel.com/mailman/listinfo/nautilus-list
>