Re: [Ayatana] Default to single click to open files and folders

[Jan-Christoph Borchardt <inquata@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 13 May 2010 17:08, Conscious User <conscioususer@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>> What is the primary tool that the system provides to users to look at
>> their files? It may not be supposed to do it, but that does not matter
>> because it is done anyway.
>
> I agree that a compromise with current ways should be reached, but
> dismissing the entire matter "because it is done anyway" is a bad
> idea in the long term. I don't want this discussion to start all
> over again when non-filesystem based ways of handling your system
> start becoming more popular (which is already happening on netbooks)

Yes, but that is not the point of the discussion anyway. Sorry for
getting off topic.


>> Because you have to see it from a user’s point of view: Why would I
>> double click? As Luke Morton said: »As a final thing to consider: if
>> no-one ever told you to double-click, how would you know to do so?«
>
> See my previous messages, I'm *against* double-clicking as it is
> today. My suggestion is the compromise of requiring selection before
> action, which I don't think it's absurd.

That is not a compromise, it is just having more time for the second
click. What would then still result in people double-clicking a file
or folder if they want to open it.


On 13 May 2010 16:48, Conscious User <conscioususer@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 13 May 2010 14:55, Frederik Nnaji <frederik.nnaji@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> for those who want to test this behaviour live: try Dolphin, it's just
>> a command away:
>> $sudo apt-get install dolphin
>
> Add a handle for dragging and I might start to like this idea. :)

I’m sorry, but then why all the discussion? I brought up KDE / Dolphin
in my second post.


> Since the main subject of this discussion is reducing what the
> user is supposed to know a priori, then I think that, if we are
> going in the single-click route, then we should go
> all the way and not require him to know that the
> single-clicking-and-holding and single-clicking-and-releasing
> are different things. Therefore, drag-n-drop also deserves
> its mouseover handle, methinks...

A mouseover handle: That’s more of a compromise. :) This could solve
the discoverability issues.

It should then be placed so everyone knows the complete icon is
draggable. The files themselves should still be treated as physical
and movable objects. Moving iPhone icons to indicate they are
draggable comes to mind.