Feedback to new Files startup screen - and a case for showing all file types

[Aaron J. Seigo]

On Monday, November 12, 2012 10:03:42 Thomas Pfeiffer wrote:
> What users expect is to first see _all_ files and then be able to narrow
> them down until they see the one(s) they are looking for. This is how
> filtering works. First show everything, then reduce the results. If this

i agree that being able to start with any set of filtering criterion (filteype, 
tag, time) would be nice and should make it on to the functionality 
improvement list.

showing everything immediately not only slows down initial presenation 
(nothing to do with Nepomuk; this would be equally true if we just listed 
every file in the user's home directory with normal filesystem reads), what is 
the benefit of that? or put differently: how often do you want to see "all of my 
files alphabetically"? if that is rarely / never the case then why use that as 
the default presentation?

i'd also suggest that showing all the files immediately will encourage people 
to simply page through the long list. having them first make a selection 
(either by searching or by selecting some filters to start applying) encourages 
"correct" (or at least more efficient) usage.

perhaps where this gets confusing is that since Files starts with the null 
set, initial interaction results in additive filtering. further interaction can 
result in subtractive filtering. this is a common interaction pattern in daily 
(non-computer) life for people, so i'm not convinced it's bad.

consider deciding on a hot drink on a cold day .. tea or coffee? only once i 
pick "tea" am i actually presented with concrete items and choices, perhaps in 
the form of a box of tea bags .. (additive) and now i get to pick: which kind 
of tea? (subtractive) cream / sugar? (additive again). moving between additive 
and subtractive modes is quite easy for us ... 

perhaps a useful question is whether we are trying to create a set that 
matches an internal set of criterion ("i like black tea, but it needs to be 
sweetened to not be bitter") or are we combing through a general set for a 
pre-selected item ("i'm looking through a jigsaw puzzle box for pieces with 
straight edges with blue sky on them")

the mental processes are not the same. i wonder which Files is currently 
better suited to, and which it ought to be made for.

i'm going to do some digging over the next couple to see what i can find about 
this in academia.

-- 
Aaron J. Seigo
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