Re: [Usability] The new file chooser

[Jamie McCracken <jamiemcc blueyonder co uk>]

On Mon, 2004-09-20 at 00:59 +0200, rkaa netcom no wrote:
> 
> Some weeks ago i took up helper work for Mozilla.org's Bugzilla after the summer
> vacation. The Mozilla suite and the Gimp are my two favourit apps on Linux, and
> I've spend the better part of 5 years on voluntary work for Mozilla.org.
> 
> I was puzzled to find that the Gtk2 version now had a "filepicker" which I
> barely could use: There was nowhere to paste or write in it! Then yesterday, I
> built the devel version of Gimp and alas - the same file choose appeared there.
> 
> Usually, I copy/paste a file url from the URL bar in Mozilla to the filepicker.
> Be it images or - when I upload something - the filenape i typed somewhere
> earlyer.
> 
> Now I suddenly had to maneuver with innumerable clicks and drags - randomly up
> and down as I nested my way to where the file in demand is located.
> 
> Someone told me that I can use Ctrl+L to trigger YET a file chooser, where I can
> paste and type - it has an editor field.

Exactly, so what is the point of your argument?

If you have to type something in anyhow then there's no big deal having
to use Ctrl+L to initiate it and its actually faster than focusing a
text widget in the dialog with the mouse and then hitting Ctrl+C.

> 
> Now.. I am - to say it midly - very disappointed by this new interface.
> It hampers my workflow severely. Not even Microsoft has made a file interface
> that clunky. The new Gtk filechoose is a giant step backwards,
> as I see it. So I find myself - for the first time since I installed Linux 5
> years ago - using Windows lately.

Actually its a step forward in terms of usability. Extra stuff fit only
for more advanced users is very nicely hidden away thereby making the
dialog simpler and easier to use for non-experts.

> 
> I would like to know if there are plans to improve the current filechooser -
> basically by re-incorporating a text widget into it.

That would be counter productive.

> 
> If not, I see myself forced away from using Linux.

Well you can always mosey on down to using KDE where you can have a
zillion and one buttons and widgets all over the place if thats what you
want. GNOME can be summed up as "Less = More" and it just happens to
work too :).

jamie.

> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for all good work so far.
> 
> 
> Ruth Kristin Aanestad
> rkaa @ netcom.no
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