"Folder" or "Directory"?

[Andy Goossens]

On Thursday 16 October 2003 15:32, Rolf Magnus wrote:
> On Thursday 16 October 2003 15:03, Craig Drummond wrote:
> > From my limited knowledge a UNIX directory is a file containing a list of
> > files. So, using the term "directory" a picture of a "directory" would be
> > more appropriate - e.g. a telephone book (OK *bad* example). Or a file of
> > files...
> >
> > My point - if you're going to use the same picture, and *most* other OS's
> > use the same term -  use the same term!
>
> First of all, KDE is not an OS. Under Un*x, it has been called directory
> for over 30 years. Why must KDE now rename it? Also, how does the notation
> of folders with subfolders and subsubfolders fit?

KDE is not an OS, it is not an application, it is a *platform* [1]. Platforms 
need to be consistent. So it should use the word "folder" or "directory", but 
not both. It doesn't matter on what kind of system KDE runs, our users 
shouldn't care.

And KDE isn't unix-only, although it is mostly used on unix-based systems. For 
example Kexi runs on Windows, and more KDE applications will be ported to 
Windows in the near future by KDE-Cygwin/OpenOfficePL/... folks. Even the Mac 
OS X port comes to mind... Mac OS X is also unix-based but uses "folders".



[1] http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/Platforms.html

-- 
// Andy Goossens

// Quote of the moment:
Wake up and smell the coffee.
		-- Ann Landers