[GEM Development] John's desktop (feature request)

[Shane M. Coughlan]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Michael Bernstein wrote:
> Why should a filemanager have knowledge about the contents of a file?
> This is the same bad idea which MS had. And every user had his own
> idea which files should be displayed. This will increase the number of
> filetypes teh Desktop should know.

I think it's an exceptionally good idea.  Here's why:

When I use my file manager, and I come across a file I want to look
inside, it's a pain to have to open another application.  So John's SHOW
CONTENTS is great.  Click...there we go.  I can see inside.

Now, what I want to do is extend that a little bit.  At the moment I
have to move the mouse to the top of the screen, and select an option
from the menu to show contents.  It would be easier and more intuitive
to simply double-click to view certain file types that we need to view
all the time.

Look at the file types I suggested.  All of these are document-based or
configuration files that we view constantly in DOS.  And it's not about
users making decisions about what files would be viewed.  It's about
giving a short-cut that people will use to quickly see what's inside a file.

If my suggestion is implimented people will be about to double-click to
read most text files and configuration files, especially those that come
with things like software releases.

People already have commented how much they like SHOW CONTENTS.  I'm
willing to bet a lot that this extension will be equally popular, and
even more useful for people who use GEM as a file-manager.  It's
intuitive, and simple.

You're being prescriptive about how users should use software.  Surely
it should be the other way around.  If users have a habit or common
method of doing something, we should try to work with that.  Make things
easier by altering the software, not attempting to retrain users.

Regards

Shane

- --
Shane M. Coughlan BA(hons) MA

EMAIL: shane at shaneland.co.uk
WEB: www.shaneland.co.uk

MSN: shane_coughlan at hotmail.com
AOL: ShaneMCoughlan
Yahoo: shane_c
ICQ: 32280303
- --
"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
 - Douglas Adams
- --
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (MingW32)

iD8DBQFDDnBZTa6KuhPvdOoRAqUBAJwImAVLFesrqr1gjvYkWotELUL2cACfZaxK
f8lgZAPrL4quYCZ7v0bny7Y=
=aJo8
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----