Logical and relevant [Was: Filesystem - hiding system folders?]

[Peter Garrett]

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 17:12:36 +1100
Jeff Waugh <jeff.waugh at ubuntu.com> wrote:

{snips]

If it doesn't mean anything, why put it there? The stuff
we love about 'logical' FHS organisation is utterly irrelevant to the broad
majority of users who care more about what they can do with a computer than
how the computer gets it done

Ah yes - but do you remember feeling puzzled about permissions, and why you
couldn't write to certain files? I do - and it really would have been
harder to learn about it, had I not been able to browse, right click
things, look at properties and try to work out what group and user
permissions were, and how they affected my ability to get things done...

Different people have different learning "styles" - is it not better to
leave their options as open as possible?

[ snipped more interesting thoughts ]

> Always remember that what's logical or relevant to you may not be logical or
> relevant to your user. Given that you're posting to a mailing list about a
> FLOSS project (let alone the chit-chat geektalk sounder list), I'd be pretty
> comfortable saying that *most* of what's logical or relevant to you about
> computers is not so for the majority of (current and potential) computer
> users. :-)
> 
> - Jeff

Of course - I certainly am in favour of making the GUI interface as
intuitive and easy as possible. I don't really see why this should involve
hiding things, that's all. In other words, why is the fact that it is
possible to browse the root filesystem a disadvantage, or intimidating?

As things stand, Nautilus already segregates the "Filesystem" from the
"Home" directory ( discussion of the accuracy of that terminology would be
a subject for another thread...) *g*

OK - I would be "in denial" if I didn't admit that I've become a geek.
Note, however, that four years ago I was a clueless newbie who didn't know
anything at all about computers. I found Linux because my brother pointed
me to it, after I ranted about how insulting and unacceptable I found the
attitudes and practices of a certain company from Redmond...

I can say with hand on heart that being able to see the whole file tree
helped me to get a grasp of Linux. Had it been hidden I would have been
even more confused than I was at the time... if that seems possible ;-)

Interesting post, though - thanks Jeff !

Peter

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