Re: [Usability] Interacting with open folders, part 2.

[Thorsten Wilms <t_w_ freenet de>]

On Tue, Feb 22, 2005 at 03:18:35PM +0100, Maurizio Colucci wrote:
> 
> What we need IMO is
> 
> 1. Introduce a way to act on the open folder itself. Mind you: not only to 
> drag it, but also to copy it, move it, delete it, create a link to it, etc. 
> Simply adding a drag handle is not enough.

Why is a drag handle not enough? As it could also offer a menu.


> 2. do it in a way that does not lead to menu item duplication (e.g. one 
> menu for the folder and one for the contents).

Maybe having one top level menu entry more wouldn't be so bad?
Might be faster and more straightforward to use than a selection button.

 

> So we should be able to select the folder itself. But in spatial nautilus 
> this means selecting the window! (since folders and windows are strongly 
> indentified)
> 
> So, what we really need is a button to select the open window.
> 
> Where should this button be? Logically, it should be in the window's title 
> bar.

Well, the titlebar is the realm of the windowmanager.
And it's common to have menu entries that act on the scope of the whole 
application or document. So the main menu bar (or any bar) would be ok.

 
> But then, we have the problem that the edit menu is located inside the 
> window frame. To a user, it would not be intuitive what the scope of the 
> menu is. A menu cannot act on something that is outside of it.
> 
> So the new proposal is: move the nautilus menu, (at least the "File" and 
> "edit" items) OUTSIDE the nautilus window. So the user can select the 
> window and/or its contents, and then use any kind of action without any 
> logical problems.

Wouldn't work with sloppy / follows-mouse focus.


---
Thorsten Wilms