Re: [Usability] spatial nautilus concerns, revisited

[Steve Hall <digitect mindspring com>]

From: David Feldman, May 5, 2005 4:29 PM
> 
[...]
> so I've compiled my thoughts into what I hope is a more coherent
> form and posted them on my Web site:
> 
> http://interfacethis.com/pub/index.php?itemid=56
> 
> I fear I may get flamed out of existence for it but would like to
> know what other people think of my perspective.

I think your best statement is:

    However, one cannot design by testing: Someone needs to 
    take the results and synthesize a new design in response.

Agreed, good design is not something collectively compiled. There
needs to be a chef, an architect, a designer with a vision. If GNOME's
current vision is spatial, it isn't going to be replaced with "not
spatial", only something better.

I believe the better way is to rethink the whole idea of a desktop. In
my own sketches, I've been calling it GNOME 4 just to distance myself
from any of the current conventions. Rectangular shapes, resolution,
superficial distinctions in local/network/media--it all gets
re-considered.

Of course I'm not naive, this is pie in the sky. But implementation
details, while important, don't get us to the next level. The ensuing
raft of comments that usually accompany this topic generally fall into
the "this isn't what I'm used to" category. Adjusting the spacial
paradigm (and I agree that it is misfit and broken) doesn't find the
new vision that gets us all beyond this debate. So we're left arguing
over window positioning strategies.

You've pointed us to a well written article, but I'd be more
interested in seeing your vision on something truly new and better.


-- 
Steve Hall  [ digitect mindspring com ]