Re: [Usability] The "Desktop" dilemma

[David Christian Berg <david sipsolutions net>]

Hey Tom!

> I think the desktop should be _either_ a directory, _or_ a place, but
> not both. My suggestion would be to have the desktop only show up as a
> place, and the files on the desktop could be stored in a hidden
> ".desktop" directory within the user's home.

Would you be ok with displaying the desktop as a desktop icon in the
home directory as well so that it's easily distinguishable from other
folders?

> Another thing is the two Nautilus toolbar buttons "Personal folder" and
> "Computer". The button in the toolbar says "Personal folder", while the
> same button in the sidebar reads my username. I think both buttons
> should be removed, instead, the "Computer" icon should also appear as a
> button in the "places" sidebar.

In my version the folder reads "Home Folder" and the button "Go to home
folder" I don't think there's anything wrong with this, because many
people might not use the tree view on the sidepane. The computer icon is
not needed in the tree view, because you see the drives anyways

> I'd bring some new arrangement into the places sidebar, similar to the
> one in the "Places" menu in the panel:
> 
> --------
> Personal
> Desktop
> --------
> Computer
> File system
> <list of internal harddisks mounted at /media>
> <list of internal CD/DVD drives mounted at /media>
> <list of any external USB/FW devices>
> --------
> Network servers
> <list of mounted network drives>
> --------



> The problem with the current layout is that all drives are completely
> mixed together, the "file system" place is also somewhere in between.

I do like the idea of dividing them this way and also would add a
separate section for mounted media like cams and usb sticks, floppies
and CDs... if possible. However, does GTK TreeView have a dividing
element?
As for the Computer: I'd leave it unchanged

> When you go the the "Computer" place, you see all attached/mounted
> drives as icons. The problem is that it's hard to see if a drive is
> actually mounted or not, for example my USB stick: It's hard to see from
> the icon if it is mounted or not. What I also really miss is the ability
> to unmount/eject an external drive be right-clicking the icon in the
> sidebar or in the Places menu. Mac OS X is doing this right: An mounted
> CD-ROM appars in a Finder sidebar, similar to Nautilus, but there's a
> little "eject button" next to the icon, when you click this, the CD is
> unmounted and ejected. Perhaps you could add such an eject button to the
> places sidebar and the places panel menu.

Afaik you only see the icon, if it is mounted... at least it should be
that way with all the media.

Take care!

David