[Nautilus-list] re: Desktop folder

[Marten Payne <marten mojo-tech com au>]

I just wanted to add a little more input to the already lengthy
discussion about changing the Nautilus desktop to represent the users
home directory. I think this is probably not the best idea for a number
of reasons I'll discuss below. 

With MacOS (not OSX) the desktop was a virtual location. Although it is
always implemented as a directory, I don't think people normally
considered it as such, but more of a "shelf" like location where they
can put anything, including application icons and directories. I realise
this sounds just like any other folder they have write permission on,
and to programmers who are used to thinking in patterns and looking for
commonality it is. But most users don't have such a strictly structured
model of storage. They have documents which they have created/are
creating and they organise them spatially. When this visually
represented folder which has its user created spatial structure changed
without user action by applications (Evolution, KDE, Netscape and so on
to a potentially infinite set), the user either has to _waste_ time
learning WTF it has changed (if they are technically literate they may
work it out) or they have to accept it, with attendant confusion, and
_waste_ time adjusting the new layout. For more background about spatial
representation and why folders probably aren't a good metaphor for most
people see HCI works of Raskin, Tognazinni, Cooper etc.

So the problems presented by making the Unix style home directory the
Nautilus (and therefore Ximian) desktop directory are mostly related to
the issue of not every program in the Unix pantheon being part of the
GNOME, rather it is the other way around. While it may be the most
effective way to work for highly intelligent, structured, logical
thinkers like Tuomas and others, I suspect usability testing on the mid
80% of people would show to be a sub-optimal approach.

Regards,
Marten.