Re: [Usability] spatial nautilus options (was spatial nautilus concerns)

[David Feldman <mailing-lists interfacethis com>]

> It breaks it because the *entire* concept of *Spatial* navigation
> requires that each folder always appear in the same place and same size
> as it did before.  If you take away that property, it isn't spatial
> anymore.

I disagree with the use of "entire" here. As I said earlier, numerous 
hybrid solutions are possible and, in fact, some are in use already. 
Some hybrids even partially implement the one-to-one window/folder 
mapping but provide exceptions where needed. Regardless, one-to-one 
mapping and spatial techniques in icon placement do not depend on one 
another, and my guess is the latter is far more important.

> The classic example is driving instruction.  I cannot tell you how to
> get to most of the places I go.  I don't know the names of the streets,
> I don't know how many stop lights you have to go through, I don't know
> how many miles/kilometers you must go down each road, I don't even know
> really what major landmarks there are where you have to turn.

I would counter that (a) you know how to get to far fewer places than 
there are folders on your computer, and (b) it's possible you use a 
hierarchical organization in your mind for remembering directions, 
hanging small streets off larger streets of highways, etc. Of course I 
may be entirely wrong, but we just don't know if these analogies are 
appropriate or not. They can certainly be misleading if we 
unintentionally misapply them and compare two things that aren't 
cognitively equivalent. Hence the suggestion for empirical testing :-).

> That's what spatial navigation is all about.  You don't think *how* you
> get to your file, you don't follow a set of steps.  You just know that
> you click here, and then you click there, and then over here.

But what if you know "it's inside that folder, inside that folder, 
inside that folder"? Then isn't it more important to emphasize the 
hierarchy? Again, this type of speculation is dangerous without hard 
evidence.

> If you just want a "simple window" that isn't spatial, turn on browser
> mode and turn off all the toolbars.  Don't confuse that with spatial
> mode, though.

I tried...can't figure out how to turn off the toolbar with all the 
navigation buttons in it. Can I do that somehow?

--Dave