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Inconcistency with Thunar delete query
Status:
RESOLVED: FIXED
Product:
Xfdesktop
Component:
General

Comments

Description Mikko Linnalo 2006-02-20 21:54:06 CET
- When deleting a single file from desktop, the default action is Cancel, while
in Thunar the default action is Delete. So, in Thunar fast-deleting a file is
possible by just hitting del followed by enter

- When deleting more than 1 file from desktop, delete confirmation query shows
the names of all to-be-deleted files, while Thunar shows only the amount of
files to be deleted. Xfdesktops way is also kind misleading to user, because
to-be-deleted file listing shows only the top one selected and lets user
understand that he/she has to re-select the others

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
Comment 1 Brian J. Tarricone (not reading bugmail) 2006-02-21 00:57:09 CET
For starters:  while I did base xfdesktop's file-manager-like support on Thunar,
I'm free to implement it however I want.

(In reply to comment #0)
> - When deleting a single file from desktop, the default action is Cancel, while
> in Thunar the default action is Delete. So, in Thunar fast-deleting a file is
> possible by just hitting del followed by enter

I don't want to make fast deletion possible.  It's dangerous.

> - When deleting more than 1 file from desktop, delete confirmation query shows
> the names of all to-be-deleted files, while Thunar shows only the amount of
> files to be deleted.

So?

> Xfdesktops way is also kind misleading to user, because
> to-be-deleted file listing shows only the top one selected and lets user
> understand that he/she has to re-select the others

Agreed, might be slightly confusing.  The listing is now not selectable.
Comment 2 Mikko Linnalo 2006-03-03 15:55:39 CET
(In reply to comment #1)
> For starters:  while I did base xfdesktop's file-manager-like support on Thunar,
> I'm free to implement it however I want.
> 
> (In reply to comment #0)
> > - When deleting a single file from desktop, the default action is Cancel, while
> > in Thunar the default action is Delete. So, in Thunar fast-deleting a file is
> > possible by just hitting del followed by enter
> 
> I don't want to make fast deletion possible.  It's dangerous.

I understand that it's up to you how to implement things, but I'm asking you to
reconsider. I see why you say fast-deletion is dangerous, but when thinking pros
and cons of it, I see the usability of fast deletion a bigger pro than the
danger is a con. Even the ever-dummy Windows users have been used to this kind
of fast-deletion :)

Also, when thinking Xfce as a desktop environment, it's kind of ridicilous that
there's different functionalities for files in desktop and in file manager. I
think the best way is that you and Benny talk and agree about these kind of details.
Comment 3 Brian J. Tarricone (not reading bugmail) 2006-03-03 20:01:01 CET
(In reply to comment #2)
> (In reply to comment #1)
> > For starters:  while I did base xfdesktop's file-manager-like support on Thunar,
> > I'm free to implement it however I want.
> > 
> > (In reply to comment #0)
> > > - When deleting a single file from desktop, the default action is Cancel,
while
> > > in Thunar the default action is Delete. So, in Thunar fast-deleting a file is
> > > possible by just hitting del followed by enter
> > 
> > I don't want to make fast deletion possible.  It's dangerous.
> 
> I understand that it's up to you how to implement things, but I'm asking you to
> reconsider. I see why you say fast-deletion is dangerous, but when thinking pros
> and cons of it, I see the usability of fast deletion a bigger pro than the
> danger is a con. Even the ever-dummy Windows users have been used to this kind
> of fast-deletion :)

I don't agree, and I'm not about to use Windows as a role model.  I question why
you are deleting files so often?

> Also, when thinking Xfce as a desktop environment, it's kind of ridicilous that
> there's different functionalities for files in desktop and in file manager. I
> think the best way is that you and Benny talk and agree about these kind of
details.

Not really.  Xfce will not have a file manager.  Thunar is an option for people
who want to use one.  I'm implementing things how I see fit; Benny and I don't
have to agree.  Doesn't mean either of us is wrong or right.  Just different.

Comment 4 Mikko Linnalo 2006-03-03 22:26:19 CET
(In reply to comment #3)
> I don't agree, and I'm not about to use Windows as a role model. 

Windows is often mocked about asking too many guestions from users, like "Are
you sure?" following with "Are you really sure?". Preventing fast-deletion seems
to me like taking this into 1 step further, at the same time farther from
usability. And I'm really not a fan of Windows, really... it's just an easy
reference (could have easily used KDE or Gnome instead)

> I question why you are deleting files so often?

Well, in this case it's called testing, I do it for a living. Xfce is
"advertised" to be the light desktop environment that can be used in older
computers also --> usually the older computers don't have that much of a disk
space so deleting stuff is an every day task. It's an every day task also with
up-to-date hardware, atleast for me

> > Also, when thinking Xfce as a desktop environment, it's kind of ridicilous that
> > there's different functionalities for files in desktop and in file manager. I
> > think the best way is that you and Benny talk and agree about these kind of
> details.
> 
> Not really.  Xfce will not have a file manager.  Thunar is an option for people
> who want to use one.  I'm implementing things how I see fit; Benny and I don't
> have to agree.  Doesn't mean either of us is wrong or right.  Just different.

Kind of harsh... maybe this should be discussed in Xfce4-dev mailing list so
others can participate also.
Comment 5 Brian J. Tarricone (not reading bugmail) 2006-03-03 22:55:56 CET
(In reply to comment #4)
> (In reply to comment #3)
> > I don't agree, and I'm not about to use Windows as a role model. 
> 
> Windows is often mocked about asking too many guestions from users, like "Are
> you sure?" following with "Are you really sure?". Preventing fast-deletion seems
> to me like taking this into 1 step further, at the same time farther from
> usability. And I'm really not a fan of Windows, really... it's just an easy
> reference (could have easily used KDE or Gnome instead)

Not really.  Confirmation dialogs serve to question users in the case of
possible dataloss.  From the GNOME HIG: "Present a confirmation alert when the
user's command may destroy their data, create a security risk, or take more than
30 seconds of user effort to recover from if it was selected in error." 
Accidental deletion certainly falls under the first criterion.  I seem to recall
a further guideline about having the default action be the "least dangerous
action", but I can't seem to find that ATM.

> 
> > I question why you are deleting files so often?
> 
> Well, in this case it's called testing, I do it for a living. Xfce is
> "advertised" to be the light desktop environment that can be used in older
> computers also --> usually the older computers don't have that much of a disk
> space so deleting stuff is an every day task. It's an every day task also with
> up-to-date hardware, atleast for me

I don't really think "testing" is a normal use case to argue for a particular
feature.

> > > Also, when thinking Xfce as a desktop environment, it's kind of ridicilous
that
> > > there's different functionalities for files in desktop and in file manager. I
> > > think the best way is that you and Benny talk and agree about these kind of
> > details.
> > 
> > Not really.  Xfce will not have a file manager.  Thunar is an option for people
> > who want to use one.  I'm implementing things how I see fit; Benny and I don't
> > have to agree.  Doesn't mean either of us is wrong or right.  Just different.
> 
> Kind of harsh... maybe this should be discussed in Xfce4-dev mailing list so
> others can participate also.

What should be discussed?  The lack of a file manager?  This has been discussed
to death over the past year.  We've decided to shrink the Xfce core to basically
just the libs, WM, panel, xfdesktop, run dialog, etc.  Things like xfcalendar
and some of the more niche panel plugins aren't in the core anymore.

Bug #1484

Reported by:
Mikko Linnalo
Reported on: 2006-02-20
Last modified on: 2009-07-14

People

Assignee:
Brian J. Tarricone (not reading bugmail)
CC List:
0 users

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