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

[Christian Rose <menthos menthos com>]

Seth Nickell wrote:
> 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.

Thanks for your reply. I agree with your points. But since there is
currently no "GNOME terminology guideline" I thought it would help with
some user testing to back things up, partly since there are a lot of
people showing almost religious affection for "directory", and some
maintainers reluctant to change. But I guess one can't have everything.


Christian