Spatial File Managers

[XiaoKJ]

Dear All users of JL.com, I would like to ask if you like the Window Managers to use spatial file managers?

These days, many are groaning that gnome's nautilus in 2.6 is spatial by default, and you change it only in gconf...

I hope makers of Gnome can hear us...

[XiaoKJ]

Being the starter of this thread, I shall start. (HOPE everyone can stay calm on this..)

In reality, when humans deal with files and folders, we do not want to have to close folders one by one. if possible, people will take whatever they want out of the drawer and slam the drawer shut -- browsers can be seen as automatically closing opened folders after they are out of use.

In reality, people use folders with the brain -- and the brain is known to filter data. When browsing a drawer, the brain finds the wanted folder and opens the folder. Once the specific folder is open, the background no longer affects the person -- the brain just filter them out as junk, filling out the blank spaces. This is what we call attention span. we want to only see the specific folder we want. If we want others too, we just take them out at will -- with a function called "Open in a new window" in Windows.

We use backgrounds in a similar manner -- when we are working, we do not care about the background, and we rarely take a note of them. However, we want a uncluttered desktop don't we? If desktops are cluttered, work efficiency decreases. In real life, isn't it true that a clean and clear desktop makes working more efficient? when dealing with documents, you can notice around you that folders are closed, or they would take up just too much space and overlap and make things messy.

Moreover, Spatial browsing had already been phased out so many years ago -- this means that it doesn't work and should we removed from memory! And it jolly well should -- it just brings us back to win 95 days where searching for a file was hell...

May spatial browsing rest in peace, and may gnome designers take note of that -- if users don't want it, its not its time!

[rbrimhall]

Ummm, try middle clicking a folder and it opens just the way it used to... I, for one, like the fact that if a click one way it opens a new window leaving the parent open (useful for organizing files, music, data, etc.). I also like that I can shift click or double middle click and it works the same as "nonspatial" nautilus... \

Also, gTweakui allows you to adjust "always browser" without searching through gconf.

[XiaoKJ]

Originally posted by lupin_the_3rd
Ummm, try middle clicking a folder and it opens just the way it used to... I, for one, like the fact that if a click one way it opens a new window leaving the parent open (useful for organizing files, music, data, etc.). I also like that I can ctrl click or double middle click and it works the same as "nonspatial" nautilus... \

Also, gTweakui allows you to adjust "always browser" without searching through gconf.
I don't have a middle button, and many users too...

and gTweakui isn't easy to find nor is it bundles with gnome in my distro....

many people didn't even know how to use gconf...

And yes, its nice to have the ability to use both of them, but this function is already included in browsing file managers -- just right-click or something like ctrl-click...

Its just that users want non-spatial file management as the default instead of spatial

[rbrimhall]

Originally posted by XiaoKJ
I don't have a middle button, and many users too...

and gTweakui isn't easy to find nor is it bundles with gnome in my distro....

many people didn't even know how to use gconf...

And yes, its nice to have the ability to use both of them, but this function is already included in browsing file managers -- just right-click or something like ctrl-click...

Its just that users want non-spatial file management as the default instead of spatial

I'm using 3-button emulation... I don't have a middle-mouse button on my laptop either but clicking both buttons at once is really no big deal...

I'm not sure I agree that users want non-spatial file managers... I for one am impartial either way but I like the functionality of spatial nautilus... If I want browser I just choose that from the main menu...

[Gaxus]

[newb mode]
What is a "spatial file manager" and what is its counterpart?
[/newb mode]

[rbrimhall]

http://www.bytebot.net/geekdocs/spatial-nautilus.html

[XiaoKJ]

Originally posted by lupin_the_3rd
I'm using 3-button emulation... I don't have a middle-mouse button on my laptop either but clicking both buttons at once is really no big deal...
Thats good of you to state that and your methods, but I personally dislike the need to sync-click both buttons of my mice even if its trivial and easy -- I am just used to clicking with only my forefinger.

Thank you...

[Gaxus]

It makes more sense to have it non-spatial then... the only reason I would require another window open is to copy/compare files. To have it automatically open a new window everytime you open another folder makes no sense.

As for the OO method versus Navigational... well I don't see the point in having any user need to see the root filesystem-> their home folder is exactly that so why would they need to traverse root or even see it as a matter of fact? This is not windows where every user can write to the "hard drive" so all of user space is effectively the entire partition...

uh... I am understanding this correctly am I not? :confused:

[Uranus]

I personally think that you're making a big problem of some minor thing.
1. It is configurable.
2. There are enough ways to open in the same window.
3. It makes browsing through your documents faster.
If you think it is a problem to click 2 buttons at the same time, change the configuration so that you don't have to.
In linux we have enough desktop space that it doesn't clutter. If you always have many windows open, keep it in a different desktop (wow, linux).
Almost all people that are new to linux and used to windows blablabla use KDE, and Gnome differs enough from Windows and KDE for this not to be strange anymore. People who use Gnome can expect that it works different from what they were used to before. (Or, if they came from Mac OS < 10, they are used to it)
What's uh the big deal?
Sam
BTW I prefer spatial

[rbrimhall]

Originally posted by Gaxus
It makes more sense to have it non-spatial then... the only reason I would require another window open is to copy/compare files. To have it automatically open a new window everytime you open another folder makes no sense.

As for the OO method versus Navigational... well I don't see the point in having any user need to see the root filesystem-> their home folder is exactly that so why would they need to traverse root or even see it as a matter of fact? This is not windows where every user can write to the "hard drive" so all of user space is effectively the entire partition...

uh... I am understanding this correctly am I not? :confused:

It's true users can not write to anything other than home but it doesn't follow that they shouldn't be able to understand the file system itself.

Also, XiaoKJ... yes, I am stating my methods and why I don't mind spatial nautilus just as you are stating yours and your dislike of spatial nautilus... obviously, we don't agree on this;)

However, I have a feeling that the GNOME developers will still ship future versions of GNOME with spatial nautilus on by default... with an option to switch to browser in options rather than scouring through gconf.

[squeegy]

No offense but you're a few months late on this whole topic... The whole Spatial Gnome thing has been a debate since developmental versions. Do we really need to resurrect this whole subject?

In regards to people not knowing how to use gconf. It is very simple to use I don't know how anyone could have problems with this.

Please just let this thread die as it is OLD news. If you want to read about the positives and negatives of spatial just use google.com. So many people have written editorials and other reviews of the subject.

My main issue with this whole topic is, you still have CHOICE. You can easily go into gconf and change it, it is really not that big of a deal, yet people love to blow this topic up. All it does is open doors for flames whether it be gnome 2.4 vs 2.6 or kde vs gnome. Take your pick.

I could understand debating this whole topic if you weren't given the ability to change back to browser mode. Sorry for the rant, but this whole debate shouldn't even be a debate.

[XiaoKJ]

I know that its old, and I know its configurable, but I want to make this note again -- according to the poll we should make non-spatial as default.

In fact, by the amount of raves about the topic they should have stuck to non-spatial, making spatial an option.

Yar, thats what I'm thinking about. This is damn old but I just would like more people to note it and SPAM the designers...:D

And JL.com doesn't even have a thread about it! I can't stand it.....Therefore this thread is created to fill that gap.

[squeegy]

How about we leave it up to the Gnome developers to decide what they're going to do. I think all the editorials out there that bash spatial are enough to inform the developers.

Sure I see what you're doing... Spam the developers so they have to spend time deleting garbage mail (don't we get enough as it is?) that is totally irrelevant. How about we just leave them be so they can continue coding, instead of wasting their time on a subject like this.

In regards to JL not having a thread regarding spatial gnome, I think this is because most people can accept the fact they have to take a minute to click a few things and turn it off. After all we are using Linux, and most of us have spent hours tweaking one little thing, just trying to get it to work right.