Spatial mess prevention

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Adam Lydick">

> However, it would be nice if folders had an "open in new window" option on
> the context menu so that you could easily open an additional folder when
> it is useful. 

Shift-Open should do this, Seb probably just overlooked this part in his
patch.

> I was hoping "Open" would be modified to do this, but it is identical to
> double-click. (Why have this duplication in the UI? It doesn't seem to add
> any usability, since it is hidden away in an even more difficult to
> discover right-click context menu.)

The function is duplicated so you don't have to use a mouse (indeed, this is
an important use case for people who can't use a mouse).

> Another issue: now that spatial-mode is more browser-like, you end up with
> windows that jump around rather strangely. IMHO, this feels buggy, even if
> it is intentional. Maybe a better solution would be to keep the same size
> and position as the parent window.

This *completely* decimates the entire point of having an interface based on
spatial familiarity principles. Instead of using spatial mode at all, you
should just switch to browser mode.

WARNING TO ALL: This kind of reaction is why this patch is so dangerous. The
change does not actually cure any ills, it just papers over a symptom. With
this patch in place, we will continue to get requests such as this, and not
come to a real, suitable fix.

> You still can't have multiple copies of a folder open. This is also a
> feature, but feels weird taken separately from the spatial behavior. 

This is 100% intended and required for spatial familiarity. Rather than
suggesting changes that break spatial, please simply use browse mode. If
browse mode is not satisfying for you, then we need to figure out why that
is the case, and fix it.

- Jeff

-- 
GUADEC 2005: May 29th-31st                           http://2005.guadec.org/
 
    "From my observation, when it comes to porting Linux to a particular
           device, a point doesn't appear to be necessary." - mpt