[Usability]Re: Nautilus preferences proposal

[Alex Larsson <alexl redhat com>]

On 28 Apr 2002, David Emory Watson wrote:

> On Sun, 2002-04-28 at 15:59, Dave Bordoley wrote:
> > The problem is that nautilus isn't a web browser, it could be, I really
> > really hope it can be one, but right now it's just not. The primary
> > purpose of nautilus is a file browser. 
> 
> My conception of nautilus: it is a framework for viewing things.  The
> fact that things in UNIX are "files" is not important.  What is
> important is that nautilus allows the user to view and access data.  The
> location of that data (i.e. local or remote) should not be relevant.

I agree with this in part. But it is not only about viewing things. It's 
also about managing files. Copying them, renaming them, moving them, 
arranging them etc. We need to concentrate on these parts to, if we are 
ever gonna be an alternative to just using the shell.
 
> > One day it would be nice, if we could integrate the excellent web
> > browsing features of galeon into nautilus. But i don't see that
> > happening for a long time.
> 
> Fair enough, but I still don't this (i.e. nautilus's lack of web
> browsing ability) as a serious enough usability problem to go and start
> ripping out features.

I agree. Although the news sidebar is so inherently dependent on the web 
view that its basically useless without one.
 
> > perhaps a solution to avoiding the misconception by users that nautilus
> > is a web browser is to turn off the location bar by default. This may
> > clear things up a little since it will resemble macos finder a little
> > bit more.
> 
> I use the location bar quite often (tab completion is great! :) so I
> would be generally opposed to this idea.  Another (easily fixable)
> problem would be that the location bar is currently the only way to know
> what directory your viewing in (e.g. think about the case where you have
> multiple directories all named foo)

I use the location bar all the time too.
 
-- 
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 Alexander Larsson                                            Red Hat, Inc 
                   alexl redhat com    alla lysator liu se 
He's a lonely albino card sharp looking for a cure to the poison coursing 
through his veins. She's a manipulative blonde bounty hunter who dreams of 
becoming Elvis. They fight crime!