Re: [Usability] spatial nautilus concerns

[Mike Chavoustie <chavoumd clarkson edu>]

On Fri, 2004-10-22 at 15:31 +0200, Christian Schneider wrote:
> 
> Open in same window and the Tree belong together in my opinion. It
> just 
> doesn´t make much sense to use them separately. The other advantage
> of 
> combining the options is
> that a user who sees a spatial window knows that a new window will
> open 
> with left click.
> If he sees a browser window he knows a click opens the new folder in
> the 
> same window.

I disagree for the same reason that David does -- I like the simplicity
of the spatial windows but don't need/want to have each window open on
its own.  I understand the one-to-one metaphor, but on the same token I
don't understand how opening the next folder in the same window breaks
it.

> What I did not like in the first spatial versions were the many
> windows 
> on the screen. But
> in recent nautilus versions (2.8) you can use middle click to open
> the 
> new folder in a new
> window while closing the current window. Even when moving up in the
> tree 
> again you
> can keep with only one window. The advantage compared to open in same 
> window is
> that the spatial principles still work.

Do they?  It sounds like the middle click was added to appease users who
don't like the spatial paradigm.

> The only thing I would change in the default is to change open
> folders 
> to single click.
> While double click is default in windows especially novice users have 
> big problems with
> doing a double click. Either they don´t manage it at all or they move 
> the cursor causing a drag.
> Especially the double middle click is very difficult. Even more so
> when 
> the mouse has a wheel for
> the middle button. While changing the setting is only one little step 
> novice users will take some time
> to find this option. Advanced users who don´t like single click will 
> find the setting easier.

I don't know that novice users have trouble double-clicking.  It's a
pretty fundamental skill all computer users should be familiar with.

> Another nice thing would be an up button in the lower left of spatial 
> windows so you can easier
> do the most comon thing when moving up in the tree - moving up one
> level.

But again, that suggestion points to something about the spatial model
that seems broken (besides, there's already a way to do that with two
clicks using the name of the folder in the bottom left corner).  If we
have to "hack around" the spatial model to make it easier to use, is it
really the best method?

Granted, I haven't used anything but Windows and GNOME and my basis of
comparison is fairly limited.  A hybrid of the two seems very practical
and simple to do.

--Mike Chavoustie