Suggestion Next Release

[Andrew Farris]

Les Mikesell wrote:
> Andrew Farris wrote:
>>
>> They moved away from it because user acceptance was problematic due to 
>> users being unable/unwilling to read the tiniest bits of documentation 
>> to find out they don't have to end up with a billion windows open 
>> while using spatial mode... not because the system is innately flawed.
> 
> The problem is that the users don't _want_ all the windows down a path 
> left open and they don't want to use some oddball action to avoid it as 
> a side effect.

Agreed... but spatial vs not spatial has nothing to do with that.  This is 
instead a default behavior issue with bindings, and I would agree with you that 
it would be better if the default was to close parent folders and then holding 
shift+click was the method to keep parents open.  But that is not an argument 
for not using spatial browsing.. its an  argument for sending a patch upstream 
to change those behaviors.

>> I agree columned mode is better than purely spatial, but working from 
>> a tree or partial tree partial spatial (i.e. nautilus browser/windows 
>> explorer) is the worst of both worlds.
> 
> What's bad about them - assuming you open as many instances as you want? 
>   It would be somewhat handier if they had 'File/New Window' options to 
> duplicate the current window and 'right-mouse/Open in New Window' so you 
> didn't have to start from the top every time but most of the paths I use 
> diverge early anyway.

Two things:
1) it forces you to open two windows and navigate to them both to do the VAST 
majority of file operations; it is much more common to need access to drag a 
file between folders than it is to move it within the same folder.
2) because most paths *do* diverge early as you say, and I find the same to be 
true, the spatial browsing behavior often gets the window you'll need open on 
the way to the file in the first place, meaning you don't actually navigate 
twice as you do with two windows in a browser mode.  The only effective way to 
fight that is to sacrifice use of dragging to move files and instead use 
copy/cut/paste everywhere you handle files, meaning you're either using two 
hands or working with context menus anyway.

-- 
Andrew Farris <lordmorgul at gmail.com> www.lordmorgul.net
  gpg 0xC99B1DF3 fingerprint CDEC 6FAD BA27 40DF 707E A2E0 F0F6 E622 C99B 1DF3
No one now has, and no one will ever again get, the big picture. - Daniel Geer
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