Re: [Usability] Three dialog problems

[Thorsten Wilms <t_w_ freenet de>]

On Thu, Feb 22, 2007 at 09:40:26AM +1300, Matthew Paul Thomas wrote:
 
> > Why isn't there a check box outside the right-click menu to show 
> > hidden files? :)
> > ...

I have to wonder if there should be hidden files at all.

I use my home folder to keep all the .stuff, but all the files 
(content) I work with resides on other partitions, mounted 
below mnt. File dialogs defaulting to home folder doesn't 
help me, but at least I can leave show_hidden_files on with 
out having all that stuff getting in my way. So: wouldn't 
it be much better to have all configuration below a specific 
folder? This might seem quite far outside of the scope here, 
but one should be sure to solve the right problems :)

What else is hidden, wastebaskets per mountpoint and ...?
 
> There should be, in a menu that also contains a "Connect to Server..." 
> item plus "Eject" items for each removable device. (If you're going to 
> have a separate filepicker at all, forcing people back to the file 
> manager for those actions is just being aggravating.)

A Connect to Server item could be included in the static part 
of the Places menu, perhaps. If we really think it will be 
used right there often enough.

Which reminds me of the increasing importance of search
and the lack thereof in file dialogs.

I would think file dialogs should be as much like the 
file manager as possible, but then we have browsing 
vs spatial navigation.

I have problems imagining saving via dragging an icon from 
a document window to a folder/file-manager, which has been 
suggested as alternative now and then. How to solve 
Save/Save As/Export? How to avoid a window management nightmare?


-- 
Thorsten Wilms

Thorwil's Creature Illustrations:
http://www.printfection.com/thorwil