[Thunar-dev] Suggestion 20050320

[Robert Siniakiewicz]

Hello everybody, I'm new to the list. I'm little late with comments,
hope it is not too late ;).

Default layout (Shortcuts in the sidebar with path buttons):
I don't really like the default gnome view, but I guess it is not
meant for me, so I only point out typical problems:
1) Shortcuts are misleading. If You have two folders with same name,
You would not know witch is witch.
Possible solutions: (a) Tool tip with full path to the folder. (b)
Tool tip with extended comment created by the user. (c) combination of
the two: Comment with default value of full path to the folder.
2) Path buttons. If You press a button to go up in folder hierarchy,
buttons on the right should vanish. Now it is misleading.
3) Path finder (rox way). There should be some way to paste a path.
It's important for helping newbies - You can tell them "Press '/' and
paste this: '/home/.program/config/'.
4) Filter as You type. This view encourages small number of folders
with lots and lots of files. Finding files can be a nightmare here. It
would by nice if You could quickly filter to view only files with
'2005' or whatever in name. Filtering by date and another properties
could be useful too.
5) "Advanced" option (off by default). Changing layouts, "DnD a file
to a folder in the icon view and hold it there without releasing the
mouse key" thing someone proposed, Filters, pathfinders and similar
staff should be enabled only after "advanced" option is on. It is just
one option, so it wouldn't "bloat" the interface. This way default
would be Spartan and simple and there would be easy way to get
everything else.

Tree in the sidebar layout:
1) "Show folders in the icon view" option. Tree view is best for
people who have lots of folders, and for them showing folders in icon
view is best way to hide files You are searching for. And You are
showing the same information in the tree view and icon view, which I
think should be avoided.
2) Path finder and  Filter as You type - just like in default view.
3) Customized toolbar, with possibility of adding "menu item" button
(as proposed here: http://xfc.xfce.org/tmp/xfce4-fm-no-menubar2.png),
"Show folders in the icon view", "Show hidden files" and the like.
4) Option to hide a menu.
5) Shortcuts button as tree (like bookmarks) not list.

Rox layout:
I don't think it is a good idea to copy rox. This way You discourage
use of rox and cut it form its users. Linux community owns a lot to
rox creators, it is a bad idea to make direct copy. Stealing features
is good, making identical copy is bad. Don't be greedy - if someone
like using rox, let them use rox. Everybody will win that way.

Spatial layout:
I liked the idea of making only some folders spatial, but as I
understand it was trashed. So I don't really have any thoughts on
this. ;)

Ps. sorry for my English, I haven't written in this language in years,
and it could be painful.
I hope it was understandable.
Robert Siniakiewicz