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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: File System Units
From:       Damien Uern <morpheus_2606 () internode ! on ! net>
Date:       2004-06-26 6:57:22
Message-ID: 200406261627.59430.morpheus_2606 () internode ! on ! net
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On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 10:42 am, Pupeno wrote:
> On Saturday June 26 2004 19:58, Jason Keirstead wrote:
> > On June 26, 2004 12:50 am, Pupeno wrote:
> > > That is just phisical devices... and it's not the 'main' thing. It
> > > doesn't show my home directory for instance, it just shows mount
> > > points, that is not enough and it is not accessible in the file/folder
> > > open/close dialogs. It is a start, but it is just one thing.
> >
> > So, basically you are saying that devices:/ should be a default entry in
> > the file -> open dialog config instead of the root directory. That would
> > make the defaults Desktop, Home, Devices, Temporary Files. Right?
> >
> > Seems like a trivial change to me. But is it needed? If you like devices
> > better you can configure this yourself with a few mouse clicks.
>
> I new that I was going to be completly missunderstood.
> No, what I'm saying is that Devices is not all what I am mentioning and
> what I'm saying is that the whole KDE doesn't have a global 'file system
> units' and that it would be very usefull.
>
> I still don't know how the thing have to work from a to z, but I know some
> things:
> 1) Whatever is done, it has to be global. That is, konqueror, kdesktop,
> file/folder open/save dialog, any other representation of files or folders
> anyware should comply with this.
> 2) It has to be easy to use, the current system is not easy. It has to be
> easy to understand, the current system is not easy. It has to provide a
> unit abstraction layer, mounting and unmount is enough hard to people,
> understanding that there's only one file system is too much.
> 3) It has to be hotplug aware, so, new devices can just appear.
>
> What I'm thinking is that the column of icons at the left of konqueror's
> sidebar can be used to show devices.
> Like Home Folder and Root Folder. That is exactly what I mean, that's the
> way everything should go except that the names are bad (they are hard too
> understand to newbies, My Files and System Files or plain System is easier
> to understand).
> I think bookmarks and history are handy as well, but I'll make network
> lan:// And in that same bar, there should be CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, Camera,
> etc, etc. Thanks.

Yeah it's probably more of a kde-usability issue. My girlfriend is a *very* 
novice computer user, and she can never seem to work out how to use the 
floppy drive in Linux/KDE. She finds it in Windows okay (I don't think she 
ever needed my assistance). 

So the question is, why are these things easy to find in Windows? I think 
because explorer makes devices visible down the left hand side (and also has 
the "My Computer" icon for finding stuff) that it is easier to find - mostly 
because you don't _have_ to find it, it's right there in front of you.

So when I load up Konqueror, I see my home directory. On the left hand side is 
a tree view of my home directory, and some buttons with icons representing 
different things (new tree-views). To access the floppy from here, I want to 
click on the 3 coloured blocks, then click the floppy icon. Easy huh?

But what are those 3 coloured blocks? They don't mean anything to anybody. I 
know it's devices because as a geek, and curious user, I click on things to 
find out what they are. But novice users just seem to stare, and if the 
answer isn't right there in front of them, they come crying for help. 

It's a psychology thing. And I think that's why a paid-for usability study on 
*lots* of subjects would be extremely useful. Of course, it would require one 
of the corporate supporters/users of KDE (Such as Novell-SuSE) to foot the 
bill I would think. 

I can understand where you are coming from. Consistency is the key, and 
integration with the underlying OS is badly needed (this is where HAL and 
DBUS from Freedesktop.org come in I think). Do we need a paradigm shift? 
Should "home" always be our first point of call? Instead of having buttons 
down the left hand side of konqueror, should we have a tree view with the 
most important trees up the top? - e.g a "Computer" Tree, that when expanded 
has icons for floppy, cdroms, cameras, network, hard disks, usbkeys, etc. 
Then underneath that, our personal files tree (like normal). Then the other, 
less important/used trees underneath that (collapsed to save space).

I know this is just like Windows Explorer (naughty naughty), but it does make 
devices (and other things) visible immediately without requiring the user to 
search for it. This "Computer" tree, should always be the top level tree 
(instead of /), as it allows the user to go, "Okay I don't know where I'm 
going, so lets start from the beginning". The "Top Level" being the 
beginning, and providing easy links to everything file-related on the system.

My personal feeling is that the Konqueror UI needs a serious cleanup, but 
should probably be slated for KDE 4.0 (big changes in point releases probably 
not a good idea). Experienced users/geeks need to take a step back and 
realise they aren't normal users. What's easy for us is not necessarily easy 
or logical to the novice user. (We also obviously want to be careful not to 
end up like GNOME with no options what so ever).

Just my random thoughts,

Damien


- -- 
 Michelle: You expect me to live in a tiny little hole?
 Fry: It'd be deeper, but I'm standing on a gopher.
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