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List:       kde-usability
Subject:    Re: Cut/Copy/Paste for Files/Folders
From:       Kaarthik Sivakumar <kaarthik () comcast ! net>
Date:       2003-10-08 15:52:30
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>>> "CN" == Christoph Niemann <cnieman@suse.de> writes:

[ .. Shelf and its working elided .. ]


CN> I don't want to sound like someone opposing new ideas, but your 
CN> suggestion sounds like your actual wish is essentially a working 
CN> clipboard (for files/folders, that is). Is that right?

Yes, sort of. The "shelf" I suggested is essentially the Shelf in
NextSTEP (or NEXTSTEP or however else it is spelled) (see
http://www120.pair.com/mccarthy/nextstep/intro.htmld/Workspace.html).
I believe it might be making an appearance again Mac OSX 10.3, but
that could be just gossip and I dont follow Mac OSX news at all.

>> Naturally this requires rewiring our brains to use this
>> functionality. But initially we can just set this up as alternate
>> option for users. Some option like "Use Shelf" with an explanation of
>> how shelf works and that Cut/Copy/Paste would no longer be the way to
>> do things for files/folders. This would also be innovative and would
>> provide a new direction for this functionality.

CN> I see that putting files/folder 'on a shelf' rather than cut/copy/paste 
CN> them is easier to understand for total computer newbies. However, I 
CN> think the cut/copy/paste function is already quite hard wired into Joe 
CN> User's brain. Thus, I am not really convinced about changing that (even 
CN> in favor of a initially easier to understand metaphor).

That is why I suggested keeping both for sometime. I think users would
like the shelf to the cut/copy/paste given time to use it. But if that
doesnt happen then this functionality can be removed.

CN> Another direction to think about, may be to make cut actually cut 
CN> files/folders (i.e. make them disappear in the konqueror window). What 
CN> do you think about that?

I am not sure that would be good. The current 'cut' is not
"destructive" and users may or may not actually paste it. Making them
disappear would be a change that people would notice and might take
offense to :). Do you think that is fine?

After I wrote up and sent this suggestion I found this new KDE app
called BasKet (http://apps.kde.com/na/2/info/id/2336), which does
something similar. It doesnt insinuate itself into the Sidebar or the
context menu yet, as I would like it to, but it does fundamentally
what I want and more. I am now experimenting with that and will
hopefully start contributing back to it soon. I believe this is
similar to something called DropDrawers
(http://www.sigsoftware.com/dropdrawers/) for Mac. BasKet and
something like Slicker (http://slicker.sourceforge.net/) or even just
a fully functional BasKet alone would be a good replacement for the
current cut/copy/paste mechanism. I agree that this will take time to
get used to, but I am willing to change my hardwiring for this.

Thanks for the critique though (especially since you are the only one
who responded :) ).

Kaarthik

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