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Re: Finder 6.0.1
Brian Hammack <brian.hammack@rook.wa.com> wrote:
>-> Have Teach installed to the System directory instead of asking us
> where to put it -- and have the system recognise its location
> from the moment it is installed instead of having to ask every
> time it is launched via clicking a document from a new source
> (two launches per drive or partition sets it right now).
So you are saying that if you move a program, you want to wait five
minutes for the Finder to find a program on all mounted volumes before
starting it up? I think it would be faster to manually specify where
it is.
The other issue is having certain document files not finding Teach when you
first install it. The only solution is to have the Installer manually
modify the desktop file to specify what application should be opened for
which document. This would mean a rewrite of the Installer.
Also, I wouldn't want Teach in the System folder since it isn't an
integrated portion of the Operating System. It is a separate item. If
you want to imitate the Mac a little, create a folder called "Apple Extras"
and put Teach there. Backup and Bowl would be appropriate items there
as well.
>-> The ability to put volume icons wherever you want them. Down the
> right margin of my screen are, top to bottom, the boot volume,
> the two 5.25" drives (the real one and the imaginary "Mr Yuk"
> one), the second volume, and the Trash. If I have a 3.5" disk
> in, the icon goes below the boot volume and the second volume
> scrolls to the top left-of-first-column. Soon I'll have a
> SCSI cable to connect one or two more volumes as well. What I
> *want* is to have all the hard drive volumes down the right side
> of the screen in order (boot, second, others) followed by the
> floppy drive volumes (s6d1, would prefer not to have d2 at all,
> then s5d1, do not yet have a d2), and Trash in the lower left.
>
You do have full control over this. Just put disk drive drivers in the
order you want them on the desktop (where boot volume is always first).
I have my RamFAST (boot drive) drivers first in the drivers folder. Then
I have my Innerdrive driver, next my 3.5" driver and finally my 5.25" driver.
>-> IconEd should be part an Installer option, not an extra. Note I
> say it's still an optional but one that gets offered early.
I think I am confused with this. You want IconEd, the shareware icon editor,
to be distributed with the Apple System Software?
>-> The Control Panel CDEV has an Icons department: used to set
> spacing and whether the system automatically uses full-size,
> small, or none [text-only] representations of files -- having
> the default as full icons gets to be a pain in big folders;
> plus some other options I'm not going to try to think of now.
I made this comment before...this is only useful if GS/OS is multitasking.
That kind of control panel would only effect the Finder and not any other
program running. Finder-specific functions go in the Extras Menu.
>-> QuickLaunch should just automatically be part of the Finder! Until
> I got my own GS I assumed it was, then had to find the program.
OK, lets spend time and energy to reinvent the wheel again. Modular programs
such as Quicklauch were made for modular extensions to the Finder for
"those who need or want that capability." I like Quicklaunch and obviously
you do to. This isn't highly useful for those without a hard drive. You
have to remember that GS/OS is still designed to be a floppy-disk-only
operating system. I find this a true bonus over Mac OS and Windows which
require a hard drive for a fully functioning system.
>-> Greater sound control. Example: The sound for shutting down is the
> same as for restarting under the Sound CDEV, but the sound
> utility of Signature diffrientiates between the two actions (a
> request -- keep the sound selection method the same, since Sound
> works flawlessly and Signature's sound thing is complicated).
>
OK, time and energy can be spent adding this. We have enough RAM and
hard disk space to waste with another sound. I could find a use for this.
>-> Have a menu bar clock integrated, as an Install option in CDEV form.
> Have some simple screen saver come with, as a CDEV as well.
> This way you have both of these things readily available and
> easily removable when/if you get a better one someday.
This has already been written in shareware form.
Not to criticize you at all, but you have to realize that Apple will not
further enhance nor fix bugs in GS/OS. If a third party wants to do this
(i.e. Brutal Deluxe), they probably won't want to rewrite portions of the
Finder to include functionality that can be found elsewhere. I give
Apple high marks for giving easy Finder expandability with GS/OS 6.x
without the need of writing major patches for it.
Yes, I see the point that it is nice to have all these useful "option"
included with System Software distribution. As what someone suggested
before, set up a Web site which includes all the useful System 6.0.1
extensions and patches. Having one source of all the material would
prevent copyright violations, less work for programmers to "reinvent the
wheel," and provide information for those who want the "ultimate"
GS/OS 6.0.1 system. Just make sure that shareware authors are
compensated for their contributions.
I know I have some strong opinions in these matters, but I have taken
a course on the psychology of the Human User Interface so I think I
have a feeling what most people prefer to see or what is more intuitive
for a novice. The power-user is not the most common user out there
and (unfortunately) most software isn't written to be geared for them.
Geoff
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