I pretty much agree with everything Nicolas proposed. Here's my own short
(or not-so-short) list:
1. Filemanager optimized for search/filtering (even if we don't force
everyone to use the flat (folderless) home folder I've mentioned
previously, I would like to be able to try it to see if it makes me more
productive)
2. Metadata, both inherent (file type, date created, owner, etc) and
user-defined. Should be editable via an inspector/Get Info-type panel
3. ShareWith.app (I've mentioned before on discuss-gnustep) or something
similar to what Nicolas proposes below
> I want "well" icons -- ie icons where I can dnd things on it.
> Obviously it will be the filemanager's job. The idea is to have a
> simple way of handling this case (eg, when something is dnd on an
> icon, if it's a "well icon" the file manager will launch the
> associated application with the file and the dnd content in
> parameters). That will handles cases like "I have this contact icon, I
> want to send a file to this contact, I just dnd the file on the
> contact icon", or "I want to print this, I dnd it to the printer
> icon", etc.
4. No applications -- just commands or "Application Components" that can
be used on specific types of data. Think of the OS X Font Selection
Palette -- developers would build components like these instead of
applications, and these components/palettes would be associated with
specific types of data (image, text, person) -- if a user installed that
palette, it would be available whenever the associated data was being
edited. This saves from developers having to duplicate efforts, and leads
to a more document-centric workflow.
For just a few examples:
a) An Adjust Image Colors command, that could be used on any image
type anywhere, whether that image is embedded in a report or is just a
photo you have in your photo library
b) Text Size Change command, that will change the size of text in
annotations or text documents or layered graphic images or on document
labels or wherever text might be used
c) Sort command, that takes a list of items and sorts them according
to specified criteria (alpha, numeric, date, etc)
5. Hidden system structure. Don't show anything that pertains to the
system -- only show the user their own files and devices, unless they
specifically request to see otherwise.
6. Inode-based aliases (aliases that always point to the same file,
regardless of where it's moved)
7. History of selections -- badge selections so that I can see and work
with (and undo to) the selection I made just before the current selection.
8. Undo everywhere.
9. No reliance on a terminal -- the command line should not have to be
utilized for anything relating to the system or its installation or
configuration. Viva Classic Mac!
J.
