"Folder" or "Directory"?

[Erik K. Pedersen]

Torsdag 16 oktober 2003 07:40   skrev Craig Drummond:
> Hi,
>
> In creating the font-installer KControl module, I wish to display to the
> user the number of fonts and folders in the current folder. To do this I
> was going to use a similar summary string to that of Konqueror (can't use
> the same,
> as I want "Fonts" and not "Files"). However, I noticed here that Konqueror
> uses the term "Directories", and indeed Konqueror has the "Create new
> Directory" option. This I think is a mistake, as the graphic that appears
> is of a
> folder.
>
> Has any decision been formally reached over whether KDE should use ther
> term "folder" or "diretory"? There was a briedf discussion about this
> before (last month) -
> http://lists.kde.org/?l=kde-usability&m=106138638515393&w=2. The outcome of
> this seemed to be that file system folders should be named directories,
> while non-filesystem folders (like kmail folders) should be named folders.
>
> As I stated in the previous discusion, I realise the actual file-system
> concept is that of creating a "directory" of files (where the directory is
> in
> fact just a file containing a list of filenames). However, KDE as a UI is
> abstracting away from this by using icons of a "folder" - as (I believe)
> this is an
> easier concept for users to understand (as real life "folders" can contain
> pices of paper ("files")). Windows and Mac OSX (I think) both use the term
> "Folder"
>
> So - what is it? "Directory" or "Folder"? Should we conduct a poll? I am
> willing to go through the code in kdelibs and kdebase to replace
> "Directory" with "Folder" - or even vice versa (although I believe that
> would be a mistake)
> - if a decision can be reached.
>
> Craig.

I have developed a firm opinion being a translator.

Folder when there is a graphical representation

directory for the command line