Sendto-applet
Hey!
I had this idea last night when I tried to sleep but failed; You know about the Nautilus SendTo-extension, right? No ? You should, I already blogged about it ;).
Anyway, Reinout commented on it saying it's another addition to Nautilus' context-menu. I also thought about this disadvantage and came up with following 'solution';
What about a "Gnome SendTo applet" ? It would be a place on the panel where you can drop files and it opens the SendTo dialog-window and off you go. I also think the Gnome HIG says a user should "perform tasks" (like dragging files to manipulate 'm) instead of using context-menu's/commands (cfr for example: Provide Direct Manipulation). For the appet I had the following in mind: an open box with a stamp on it. For the user it would be like "put some stuff in a box to send it". Maybe it would even be better/cooler to have an opened box where you can drag stuff in and then when you click the box, it closes and shows the SendTo window ? Maybe this could make sending 1 file quickly too complex (2 clicks to show the dialog and then some more for the sending) ? A maybe-somewhat-silly-and-not-very-informational mockup:
Another thing I had in mind is doing somewhat the same with the Contact-Lookup-Applet. Right now when you find a contact and click it you get a dialog with emailadresses and IM-IDs if you have gaim well set up etc. So, what I thought about, was making it possible to drag files on the icon in front of the emailadresses/IM-IDs over there. So now there is for emails just a "email" icon, when you drag a file on it it could have a paperclip on it to make it visible there will be something attached automatically to the mail ...
I'm gonna try to reach some developpers of Gnome to see if they find it a good ID and if someone wants to implement it. I hope I'll be able to blog about it again later on !
Ciao
I had this idea last night when I tried to sleep but failed; You know about the Nautilus SendTo-extension, right? No ? You should, I already blogged about it ;).
Anyway, Reinout commented on it saying it's another addition to Nautilus' context-menu. I also thought about this disadvantage and came up with following 'solution';
What about a "Gnome SendTo applet" ? It would be a place on the panel where you can drop files and it opens the SendTo dialog-window and off you go. I also think the Gnome HIG says a user should "perform tasks" (like dragging files to manipulate 'm) instead of using context-menu's/commands (cfr for example: Provide Direct Manipulation). For the appet I had the following in mind: an open box with a stamp on it. For the user it would be like "put some stuff in a box to send it". Maybe it would even be better/cooler to have an opened box where you can drag stuff in and then when you click the box, it closes and shows the SendTo window ? Maybe this could make sending 1 file quickly too complex (2 clicks to show the dialog and then some more for the sending) ? A maybe-somewhat-silly-and-not-very-informational mockup:
Another thing I had in mind is doing somewhat the same with the Contact-Lookup-Applet. Right now when you find a contact and click it you get a dialog with emailadresses and IM-IDs if you have gaim well set up etc. So, what I thought about, was making it possible to drag files on the icon in front of the emailadresses/IM-IDs over there. So now there is for emails just a "email" icon, when you drag a file on it it could have a paperclip on it to make it visible there will be something attached automatically to the mail ...
I'm gonna try to reach some developpers of Gnome to see if they find it a good ID and if someone wants to implement it. I hope I'll be able to blog about it again later on !
Ciao
Labels: gnometux
3 Comments:
As you can see, my mockup doesn't show an opened box, it's because I didn't find a picture for it ;)
It's a great concept, OSX has an ever-present trash bin in the Dock where you can drag stuff too (not only files, also icons/buttons you want removed etc.).
On the other hand this functionality already exists, more or less, in the form of a Send Mail window in which people can drag attachments. I think most users requiring this kind of functionality will simply add a New Mail icon in their toolbar, click it to start composing a mail and add stuff to it...
Also, if this function would become reality, what other functions would/could need to be implemented in this fashion? Adding more and more of these drag-to "functicons" (let me be the first to use it!) would clutter up the toolbar fast.
In fact, the trash-on-panel is also possible in gnome, and I already read about how the devs are gonna make it possible to remove every kind of object by dragging it. The mac way of unmounting devices by throwing 'm in the bin is maybe not very intuitive though ...
Well, yeah you can drag files easily on Evolution's "new mail" window, but this way, you can decide you want to sned something to someone and then in the dialog window you can see if he's online and if not send it by mail for example.
What other "drag to" things do you have in mind ? I think you have to try to see it as in "real live" I mean ... when you are on your desk, what can you do with your paperwork ? put it in an enveloppe/box to send, remove it by throwing it into the trash or put it in some drawer .. that would be all possible easily by dragging, just as easy as 'moving' with your hands, right ? I don't see more of this possibilities, maybe there are .. but still then, it's yours to decide what you put "in your office" .. boxes to send, a trash-bin ... Maybe you want a paper-shredder (remember OS/2), well if someone would ever make it it could do something like removing stuff for good (without going to the trash first). Though, this is useless to me as this is already possible in many easy ways in Gnome.
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