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From: John Bokma on 12 Jul 2010 14:26
MRAB <python(a)mrabarnett.plus.com> writes:

> John Bokma wrote:

[..]

>> Can't think of why not. Of course not all operations are shared by each
>> OS, but /I/ know that I can't do chmod on Windows. But it doesn't mean
>> that on Windows I can't make a file only readable by me. Just give me
>> the Windows security options on Windows, and chmod on *nix and I would
>> be very happy.
>>
> On Windows the root folders of the different drives could be treated as
> subfolders of a 'root' folder.

Yup, instead of a single tree there is a forrest. Wouldn't confuse me,
and I doubt anyone else.

>> Especially if all can be done via a context menu a la RISC OS.
>>
> Ah, RISC OS!

:-D.

> <rant>
> I'd heard how user-friendly the Mac was, but when I was first introduced
> to the Mac (circa MacOS 8) I was very surprised that even it still used
> old-fashioned Open and Save dialog boxes with their own little file
> browsers like on a Windows PC instead of drag-and-drop like I'd become
> used to on RISC OS. And that menu bar not even at the top of the window
> but at the top of the _screen_! And the way that bringing one Finder
> window to the front brought _all_ the Finder windows in front of the
> other windows! I was distinctly underwhelmed... :-(
> </rant>

It's on top of the screen because of Fitts's law: it's easier to move
accurately to the top of the screen than to the top of the window
(unless it's located in the top or bottom of the screen). However,
personally I think that a context menu even scores better: it's easier
to click a mouse button than to roll up and then move to the correct
menu entry.

Yes, RISC OS has some very good ideas:

1) context menus instead of menus at the top of the Windows/screen
2) clearly defined operations of each of the three mouse buttons:
left = select, middle = context menu, right = adjust
3) the ability to select items in a menu and keep the menu open
4) drag & drop saving/loading (including between applications)
5) direction of scrollbars depends on mouse button: left = expected
direction, right = reverse.

Based on this I would say that the designers of RISC OS understood
Fitts's Law way better.

I am aware of ROX but haven't checked it out yet.

--
John Bokma j3b

Hacking & Hiking in Mexico - http://johnbokma.com/
http://castleamber.com/ - Perl & Python Development
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