Re: [Usability] Re: New way of accessing software (WAS: Re: Big Panel menus (32x32))

["Curtis C. Hovey" <sinzui cox net>]

On Sat, 2003-06-14 at 17:31, Daniel Borgmann wrote:
> On Sat, 2003-06-14 at 05:52, David Adam Bordoley wrote:
> > > Sure, and I'm not against using the desktop at all. What I'm against is
> > > forcing the user to have _all_ his files available on the desktop.
> > > Because then the user is forced to either do the "micromanaging" or
> > > simply place large folders on the desktop where he stuffs in everything.
> > > And in this case, I'm wondering what the point is? If we reach a state
> > > where a user doesn't have to care anymore WHERE he put some data but
> > > only how to find it, why should we force him to have them all visible
> > > from the desktop. Won't this lead to problems?
> > 
> > The point is to make any all files easily accessible from a user visible 
> > start point. The most obvious point is the desktop. By allowing access to 
> > all files from the desktop we are not forcing the user to micromanage their 
> > files. Users could always throw every file into a single folder on the 
> > desktop and use the hypothetical search folders feature to better categorize 
> > their files. (We could even include some default ones, like Music). 
> 
> Well okay, I don't really mind that as long as the desktop is not the
> primary/best way to access your files. However, it really makes it
> difficult for a user to keep his desktop (_work_space) clean, especially
> because new saved/downloaded files are placed automatically, not where
> the users wants them to be. 
> You also force the user to think in folders. For example why should the
> user have to save each document in a Documents folder, when the system
> could just as well dynamically create a list of all the document?
> You solve this problem if you make a generic "Files" folder, which leads
> us back to one giant $HOME folder and in the end, we are arguing about
> nothing. ;)
> I understand that $HOME -> Files would be a bit less damaged than $HOME
> -> Desktop -> $HOME though. 
> 

You can do this with Medusa now.  The URL (query) can be saved to a
.desktop file.  Opening it shows you PDFs, or Music (MP3 and OGG).  The
folder can show everything tagged with a keyword to represent a project,
like using 'Ipcrest' to show office docs, PDFs, SVGs, and an ical to
show everything releated to the Ipcrest project.

As for opening documents.  Instead of the user always seeing a slice of
the file system from the context of a directory.  Medusa can show all
the DOC files on the system, then allow the user to narrow the focus
using time, keywords, and path information.  My old PocketPC does this
to a lesser degree.

-- 
__C U R T I S  C.  H O V E Y____________________
sinzui cox net
Guilty of stealing everything I am.