Comments on: Tiger Tweaks Won’t Kill Folders http://www.command-tab.com/2005/06/12/tiger-tweaks-wont-kill-folders/ Technology and Mac geekery. One part exuberance, two parts obsession. Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:55:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrew Listerhttp://www.command-tab.com/2005/06/12/tiger-tweaks-wont-kill-folders/comment-page-1/#comment-563 Andrew Lister Thu, 18 Aug 2005 03:49:01 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=79#comment-563 The automator actions 'Get Folder Contents' and 'Add Spotlight Comments' together allow for fairly rapid keywording of large numbers of documents, though it would be nice to have this built in to the 'save-file' function - with menus of possible keywords set up in advance!The issue, as I see it, is not getting rid of hierarchical file classifications, but allowing mulitple such classifications of the same set of documents, simultaneously. The automator actions ‘Get Folder Contents’ and ‘Add Spotlight Comments’ together allow for fairly rapid keywording of large numbers of documents, though it would be nice to have this built in to the ’save-file’ function – with menus of possible keywords set up in advance!

The issue, as I see it, is not getting rid of hierarchical file classifications, but allowing mulitple such classifications of the same set of documents, simultaneously.

]]> By: kadavyhttp://www.command-tab.com/2005/06/12/tiger-tweaks-wont-kill-folders/comment-page-1/#comment-405 kadavy Wed, 22 Jun 2005 05:38:54 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=79#comment-405 In addition to the previous comments, HERE's why you can't do that yet:When saving a file from an application, there is no field to add metadata as you are saving the file. It seems the only way is to go find the file, open up "get info" and then type in your description. Not conducive to a "one big pile" organization. In addition to the previous comments, HERE’s why you can’t do that yet:

When saving a file from an application, there is no field to add metadata as you are saving the file. It seems the only way is to go find the file, open up “get info” and then type in your description. Not conducive to a “one big pile” organization.

]]> By: J Scott Andersonhttp://www.command-tab.com/2005/06/12/tiger-tweaks-wont-kill-folders/comment-page-1/#comment-391 J Scott Anderson Tue, 14 Jun 2005 14:53:50 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=79#comment-391 I disagree. First, the idea of just dropping everything into one folder is the picture that comes up in the minds of people who like to organize things by folder. That is just not what it is like. Take iPhoto or iTunes as an examples. On the surface, when you add a file to either of these applications, it appears that you are just piling them all into one "place". In truth, the application is handling the physical file management. It handles the details of separating out the files into folders and hierarchies that are best for performance of the hardware. This is very similar to what we would do for the document imaging applications in the early 90's. If you drop a half million pages into a single directory, your system comes to a halt. So, our application handled organizing the files and directories (folders) into the best form for the machine.Second, what I think is meant by the Finder, as we know it, going away is that direct file manipulation by physical location (actually, one step above real world physical location since we are not dealing with the start and stop blocks in defining a user's file's location). Hierarchical location is still nothing more than metadata. A tree structure that the user defines can still be one of the views for those people who decide that they want it. But I believe that it will just be one of the many possible views.BTW…in my opinion, using SpotLight's capabilities today to base your opinion on is very short-sighted. I do not believe that it is anywhere near ready for replacing the Finder…yet. But I do believe that the traditional hierarchical menu structure where the user places a file in a specific "place" is going away. There is no need. For example, if you could use a Star Trek Transporter to instantly move from New York to Los Angeles, there would be no need to physically traverse all the miles in between. There may be the "want to" facilitating sight seeing-but there would be no need. There will still be ways to "sight see", but it will be more abstracted. In any case, I don't see SpotLight getting rid of Finder tomorrow. I disagree. First, the idea of just dropping everything into one folder is the picture that comes up in the minds of people who like to organize things by folder. That is just not what it is like. Take iPhoto or iTunes as an examples. On the surface, when you add a file to either of these applications, it appears that you are just piling them all into one “place”. In truth, the application is handling the physical file management. It handles the details of separating out the files into folders and hierarchies that are best for performance of the hardware. This is very similar to what we would do for the document imaging applications in the early 90’s. If you drop a half million pages into a single directory, your system comes to a halt. So, our application handled organizing the files and directories (folders) into the best form for the machine.

Second, what I think is meant by the Finder, as we know it, going away is that direct file manipulation by physical location (actually, one step above real world physical location since we are not dealing with the start and stop blocks in defining a user’s file’s location). Hierarchical location is still nothing more than metadata. A tree structure that the user defines can still be one of the views for those people who decide that they want it. But I believe that it will just be one of the many possible views.

BTW…in my opinion, using SpotLight’s capabilities today to base your opinion on is very short-sighted. I do not believe that it is anywhere near ready for replacing the Finder…yet. But I do believe that the traditional hierarchical menu structure where the user places a file in a specific “place” is going away. There is no need. For example, if you could use a Star Trek Transporter to instantly move from New York to Los Angeles, there would be no need to physically traverse all the miles in between. There may be the “want to” facilitating sight seeing-but there would be no need. There will still be ways to “sight see”, but it will be more abstracted. In any case, I don’t see SpotLight getting rid of Finder tomorrow.

]]> By: Mikehttp://www.command-tab.com/2005/06/12/tiger-tweaks-wont-kill-folders/comment-page-1/#comment-386 Mike Mon, 13 Jun 2005 14:38:29 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=79#comment-386 It goes even beyond what Josh says, its orgnaization that makes Spotlight worth it IMO. I like to know where all my things are, Spotlight just makes it faster to get there.Programs like iPhoto or iTunes are so successful because people wanted to be more organized. They want to be able to have all their photos or all their music in one place, and be able to see it all at once.It's really organization that drives Spotlight, but its lazieness that makes it worth while. You know where the file is, but dont wanna go to it. Although, I have saved an essay or two in the wrong spot and been lost outta my mind, but thats not because of inorganization, thats because i had no clue where it was, lol.Just my $0.02 It goes even beyond what Josh says, its orgnaization that makes Spotlight worth it IMO. I like to know where all my things are, Spotlight just makes it faster to get there.

Programs like iPhoto or iTunes are so successful because people wanted to be more organized. They want to be able to have all their photos or all their music in one place, and be able to see it all at once.

It’s really organization that drives Spotlight, but its lazieness that makes it worth while. You know where the file is, but dont wanna go to it. Although, I have saved an essay or two in the wrong spot and been lost outta my mind, but thats not because of inorganization, thats because i had no clue where it was, lol.

Just my $0.02

]]> By: Josh Jarminhttp://www.command-tab.com/2005/06/12/tiger-tweaks-wont-kill-folders/comment-page-1/#comment-384 Josh Jarmin Mon, 13 Jun 2005 03:35:01 +0000 http://www.command-tab.com/?p=79#comment-384 I tend to agree with you about Finder not being on its way out. Sometimes, especially creative people, tend to not know exactly what they are looking for. Like when I need a stock image, I am not going to always know the name or metadata for a specific picture on my harddrive that I want to find. Why? Because I normally, have no idea what I really want to find. That is where Finder will still be useful. I tend to agree with you about Finder not being on its way out. Sometimes, especially creative people, tend to not know exactly what they are looking for. Like when I need a stock image, I am not going to always know the name or metadata for a specific picture on my harddrive that I want to find. Why? Because I normally, have no idea what I really want to find. That is where Finder will still be useful.

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