Re: Simplified Nautilus (with less chrome)

[David Siegel <david siegel canonical com>]

On Wed, Jan 20, 2010 at 3:13 PM, John Stowers
<john stowers lists gmail com> wrote:
>> Should Nautilus provide advanced
>> functionality as long as the default configuration is kept simple?
>> This seems like a very good principle for software in general, and
>> Alex suggests that Nautilus will embrace this principle once the
>> toolbar editor is available. If that is the case, I urge you not to
>> increase complexity in the toolbar until the toolbar editor changes
>> land and the default configuration can be kept simple. I just don't
>> think the benefit of split pane view is worth the cost of adding
>> complexity to an already complex toolbar.
>
> Without wanting to seem too divisive, step on Alex's toes etc, this
> seems like the *perfect* opportunity for a distributor to step in and
> finish off the toolbar editor branch.
>
> The last time I checked it was quite close to being finished (it worked
> sans a few quirks), and several times now Alex has expressed his
> agreement with it being eventually merged.
>
> It would be great if Ubuntu could give a full week of developer time
> towards this [1], much of the demand for a simplified Nautilus is coming
> from the Ubuntu community, and by your own admission Nautilus is a focal
> part of the desktop

I think the demand is universal, but Ubuntu is a big source of that
demand for sure. I've already talked to Marcus, who wrote a toolbar
editor as part of One Hundred Paper Cuts, and he said he is very busy
this cycle but perhaps I can get him to polish up that work and put a
bow on it...

But let's not get sidetracked -- who writes the toolbar editor is not
the core issue here. The larger, more interesting question is whether
Nautilus should grow towards complexity before simplicity or vice
versa. I would love to see a statement like "Nautilus is an
___________ for people who __________. When you use Nautilus, you
should feel _____________ and never feel _________ or ________.
Nautilus will always do _________ well, and will never, under any
circumstances ____________. Nautilus is not for ______, _______, or
______." A statement of core values would allow us to very easily
decide whether the split view changes should land if in means the
toolbar would become more complex. Does such a mission statement exist
for Nautilus?

David

>
> John.
>
> [1] My estimate of how long it will take to complete.
>
>
>
>



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