Sounder 7 usability notes

[John]

On Wed, 1 Sep 2004 18:40, Jeff Waugh wrote:
> Both, depending on what I'm doing... and when I need to *navigate* through
> a lot of folders, then I use navigational mode ('Browse'). Note that a
> straw poll on a list of very highly technical users is not a good way to
> figure out what to do. :-)
>
> I don't think it's correct to completely reverse the current behaviour, as
> it has a pretty strong history as the expected behaviour of a spatial file
> manager. There are other ways to deal with this:
>
>  * set nautilus to use browse mode by default, so it works like Windows XP
>
>  * choosing to use browse mode when this kind of use case crops up
>
>  * gradual close-behind, either by number-of-windows or by timed-no-use;
>    this has been done elsewhere, but I forget where it was (in fact, I
> think Scott brought it up during the Oxford meeting - Scott?)


I used to use OS/2, and IBM has some expertise in UI design.

OS/2's Workplace Shell opened folders (and other containers) in new windows. 
Cute tricks:
1. You could set a folder property to open contents at the same time. As 
folder contents could include "program objects" this could involve several 
programs starting. Think email client, web browsers, news readers.

2. One could hold a shift key down while opening. The result is that as the 
new folder opens, the parent closes.
Very simple, unbelievably handy. Even I can hold one shift key down while 
clicking with the other hand.

Folders remember their sizes (and positions); that's why opening in their 
parents is wrong.




-- 
Cheers
John Summerfield