Calum's challenge and Luis' rant [was Re: [Usability]A Challenge: Describe the GNOME 4.0 interface.]

[Joshua Adam Ginsberg <joshg myrealbox com>]

This is a very good question. I'll throw out a few ideas.

Say I've got some word-processing document I want to open. I can open it
one of two ways. One is I can remember what file format it's in (.abw,
.sxw, .kwd, .doc, .wpd, etc), select in my mind what application that
can handle that type I'd like to use, open that application, open the
file using the "Open File" tool, and then edit my file... The other is I
can open Nautilus, browse to my Documents folder find the document
itself, and open it. Chances are the default application I've got
associated with it will be the one I'd like to handle that type, but
there is a possibility I'm going to have to choose in my mind an
application. In the first case, I have to know where the document is in
my file tree, I have to know what type it is, I have to know what
applications can handle that type, and I have to know all of this before
I begin. In the second case, all I have to know is where the file is.