Re: [Usability] Thoughts about the file chooser

[Alan Horkan <horkana maths tcd ie>]

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004, Dave Ahlswede wrote:

> Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 21:55:24 -0400
> From: Dave Ahlswede <mightyquinn charter net>
> Reply-To: mightyquinn letterboxes org
> To: Maurizio Colucci <seguso forever tin it>
> Cc: usability gnome org
> Subject: Re: [Usability] Thoughts about the file chooser
>
> On Sun, 2004-09-26 at 03:13 +0200, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> > I was wondering: have you thought about replacing the whole file dialog
> > with a single "drag files here" widget, or some kind of file list where
> > you can drag the files to?

Why not drag the files you want opened right into the application window?

I know some people want to entirely get rid of the File Chooser and make
Nautilus, Drag and Drop and Auto Save work better but as a former Mac and
Windows user I'm concerned about the File Chooser being removed before all
the necessary replacements are in place and properly tested.  Look at how
much fuss there was over switching to the new file chooser before type
ahead find was added and other details were sorted out.  Getting rid of
the file chooser entirely would take even more careful planning.

> > This could make sense if your priority is to offer a minimal interface,
> > with no duplication of functionality. And would solve the problem where
> > the application asks for a file, but you already have the file visible
> > in another file manager (be it nautilus or not).

I think a certain amount of duplication will be inevitable if we are to
support some users wanting to use only a keyboard and others wanting to
use only a mouse.

> > If dragging is too difficult, Gnome could provide a "send to"

In some cases dragging is extremely difficult.
Try using drag and without using your mouse.
Or try without using your hands, ever broken or injured your arms or
hands?

> > functionality (e.g. right-click file, the context menu opens, select
> > "send to window", a window list opens, select the file chooser window).
> > I implemented something like that in http://onefinger.sf.net.

I dont think we ever want to make anything accessible only from right click.
Context (a.k.a. right click) menus are difficult, beginners dont
necessarily realise how to use them or even that they are available.

> I believe this has been discussed a couple times in the past-- my
> personal feeling is that, while the FileChooser should be a viable drog-
> drop target for files, we shouldn't get rid of its browsing
> functionality.

I would really like to see the alternatives much more developed before the
file chooser is radically changed or removed.

Sincerely

Alan Horkan

http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/
Inkscape, Draw Freely http://inkscape.org
Free SVG Clip Art http://OpenClipArt.org