Re: [Usability] Getting rid of Open and Save entirely?

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

On Mon, 2004-01-12 at 12:49, Alan Horkan wrote:
> I think Davids mockup fits this description beautifully
> http://www.sipsolutions.de/open-save-mockup.png

I would add that in the near future nautilus will be capable of
displaying additional columns.  The opening application could set the
view to show the columns of metadata like subject or author.

> 
> > File save is a problem, because GNOME has a rich set of information that
> > no dialog can contain.  I think nautilus should display the temp file in
> > a virtual location.  The user can rename the file, emblem it, set
> 
> If the temp file was in real location such as ~/Documents (or an
> application/MIME type specific default folder along those lines) and the
> temp name was reasonably clever I'd be fairly pleased by that.
> 
> Your suggestion presumes that users will want to move and rename, I'd
> rather we try our best to avoid making that a necessity.

Yes, I agree.  If the file was tagged with the right metadata, who cares
where the file lives, or what its name is.  The FO scenario works
regardless of location, moving is moot.  The file name is a different
matter.  We could automatically name the file from existing metadata,
but that is a week solution.  

Take the case of an email.  Users don't necessarily know where the mail
is stored or what the file name is.  The user was required to provide a
subject, and the email client displays the emails is a list that shows
meaningful information.

The FS dialog must collect the correct metadata to help the user easily
identify the file.  File name is not as important as subject, author,
keywords, and summary.  the file name could be made from that data since
the file system does need a name.

> > navigating.  Search also permits the user to set additional criteria to
> > restrict the list size.  That beats the snot out of any file open
> > scenario.
> 
> That description if implemented has the potential to be extremely poweful
> and innovative.  My only reservation is that I'd rather see the recent
> files list improved so that it overflows into document history for the
> application and included a search.

Absolutely. 

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sinzui cox net
Guilty of stealing everything I am.