Re: [Nautilus-list] Results of MIT usability testing

[Alexander Skwar <ASkwar digitalprojects com>]

So sprach Christopher D. Beland am Sat, Mar 10, 2001 at 10:05:38AM -0500:
> this type of file.  An Expert, on the other hand, could be presented
> with a dialog like this (with appropriate interlocks) for a wide
> variety of file types:

Oh, please don't!  I would hate it, if with every new file type I
double-click, I'd be presented a dialog.  If I double click something, I
want immediate action.  Being interrupted by a dialog would get on my nerves
quite fast.  Double clicking on a file should open the file in a new window,
always! (unless set otherwise).  At least that's what *I* would expect to
happen.

>   ( ) Show this file in built-in viewer  ( ) in new window
>   ( ) Show this file in Mozilla
>   ( ) Show this file in Netscape
>   ( ) Show this file in Other...
>   ( ) Edit this file in Emacs
>   ( ) Edit this file in Other... 

Those options should be available in a sub-menu which is reachable when I
right click on a file, and the answer given here should be remembered.   If
a new window is opened, or if the built-in viewer is chosen by default,
should be settable in a global preference window.  And yes, it should be
split for files and directories.  Just because I want *FILES* to be opened
in new windows does not necessarily mean that I also want directories to
spawn new windows.

> For users that want non-default behavior, accumulating information
> about their preferences in an incremental manner is less intrusive and
> bothersome than trying to do it all up front.  It's also less

Hmm, maybe this (popping up dialogs asking what to do) should/could be set
as an option.  If the user checks this option, he'll be asked for each new
type.  If not, he will not be bothered.

> Actually, operation #1 (open inline) would be more useful if Nautilus
> had built-in editing capability, in addition to built-in viewers.

Hmm, why should it have built in editing features?  Nautilus does not have
to be able to do everything.  There always will be better tools for a task
available.

Maybe some sort of large preview window should open if the user double
clicks on a file, which splits the file list window in two parts, and the
file list window should stay available and in the other part, the file is
shown.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-  Tree    -             File List Window                               -
-          -                                                            -
- Listing  -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, when a file is double clicked in the file list window, it should look
like this:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-  Tree    -             File List Window                               -
-          -                                                            -
- Listing  -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          --------------------------------------------------------------
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -            File contents                                   -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-          -                                                            -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

So the file list window stays available, and just becomes smaller.  The size
of the file list window/file contents window should be adjustable by
dragging the delimiter up/down.

Now when the user selects a new file in the file list window (just by single
clicking it), the new file should be shown in the file contents window.

If the file contents window is set to zero size, no new (pre-)views should
be done.  If he enlargens the window again, previews should occur again.

If he is (pre-)viewing an image, it should also (by default (settable)) not
be scaled.

> Usably but verbosely yours,

Heh, also somewhat verbosy yours,

Alexander Skwar
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