A workspace is a collection of windows, from various apps, grouped for a specific task.
Basically what Eugene described, without needing a special window container, and allowing you to see two or more of those windows at once.
And AppleScript is *perfect* for this, since hiding/showing windows is one of the basic dictionary verbs.
A workspace, when double-clicked, would open each file in the workspace at one shot, regardless of what file types or apps were involved. That part's easy, it just uses the Finder's open capability in one of any number of ways.
The harder part is switching between workspaces, but AppleScript could be used to iterate over the apps involved, and tell them to hide/show the windows involved in each workspace. Really quite simple.
Now if only the Dock would allow for adding/deleting apps/files in the same way, you'd be able to have workspaces complete with customized Docks. Ah well.
Unfortunately, the biggest problem is that so few apps really handle AppleScripting at all, even the basic functionality such as this. (IIRC, Cocoa apps get this much for free.)
Oh dear. Sorry Eugene. Hope the Psychiatric Ward doesn't keep you too long.
As for tabs in Finder, that is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD !
I'm surprised noone has mentioned Fluxbox yet.It does exactly the thing Eugene ridicules, and many linuxusers swear by it. Then again, linux has no exposé.
Oh dear. Sorry Eugene. Hope the Psychiatric Ward doesn't keep you too long.
As for tabs in Finder, that is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD !
Have a nice day.
Why the $$$$ would it be bad? Don't be a hypocrite. If optional tabs in Safari are good, so are optional tabs in Finder. Nobody is forcing you to use them. Every app should have tabs. It should be a system-wide feature. I should even be able to have tabs within tabs if I elect to use them that way.
I'm surprised noone has mentioned Fluxbox yet.It does exactly the thing Eugene ridicules, and many linuxusers swear by it. Then again, linux has no exposé.
Why the $$$$ would it be bad? Don't be a hypocrite. If optional tabs in Safari are good, so are optional tabs in Finder. Nobody is forcing you to use them. Every app should have tabs. It should be a system-wide feature. I should even be able to have tabs within tabs if I elect to use them that way.
Why the $$$$ would it be bad? Don't be a hypocrite. If optional tabs in Safari are good, so are optional tabs in Finder. Nobody is forcing you to use them. Every app should have tabs. It should be a system-wide feature. I should even be able to have tabs within tabs if I elect to use them that way.
Optional tabs in Safari are good because safari displays web pages, not documents. You don't need to drag and drop from one web page to another. If you want to open a link in a new window, you right click and open a link in a new window. Dragging and dropping is NOT a good way to open files, it's way way too complex.
Likewise, thumbnails in Preview are good because you are dealing with uneditable images. You don't need to drag and drop.
You certainly positively DO need to drag and drop in the Finder though.
Which is why tabs in the Finder encourages bad user interaction, especially from windows converts. Tabs in Safari, while they might not be the ideal spacial bullshit, you can justify.
Remember, one of the reasons we use Macs is because they are not overcomplicated with useless options. *cough*KDE*cough*GNOME*cough*
What a cop out. Are you trying to tell me Safari discourages drag & drop usage? That's pure bullshit.
At least with Preview, the thumbnail is provided and they implement a shoddy "New from clipboard" option which prevents you from opening a blank Preview window.
In Safari you can drag images out of pages onto other windows. You can drag links to other windows. You can drag blocks of text into text fields. You can drag clippings and other files into Safari windows. To say Safari doesn't utilize drag & drop behavior is folly.
It's true, you do drag stuff out of Safari windows. However there is no good reason to drag stuff INTO Safari windows. Web applications are absolute evil, and if you hate tabs you should hate web applications too. If you want to open something in Safari, you right click and "open with Safari". If you want items to open in the same window or a new window, that's a Safari preference. Tabs only impede dragging stuff into windows.
It's true, you do drag stuff out of Safari windows. However there is no good reason to drag stuff INTO Safari windows. Web applications are absolute evil, and if you hate tabs you should hate web applications too. If you want to open something in Safari, you right click and "open with Safari". If you want items to open in the same window or a new window, that's a Safari preference. Tabs only impede dragging stuff into windows.
Barto
That's patently untrue. I drag & drop files into Safari from time to time, and I'd love the ability to drag a folder of images to the window and have each file open as a seperate tab. Preview doesn't work well for this, since image files can be of varying sizes but the window doesn't (and shouldn't) resize properly.
And "web applications are evil"? Care to explain that?
Preview doesn't work well for this, since image files can be of varying sizes but the window doesn't (and shouldn't) resize properly.
Like I said before, thats a case for Preview being improved, not a case for you or anyone else using Safari for something other than what it is intended for.
Quote:
Originally posted by Kesh
And "web applications are evil"? Care to explain that?
Some aren't too bad because of simplicity (like simple admin interfaces - eg SWAT). But the majority of interfaces become terrible when confined to a single, fairly static window. Not to mention slow as all heck.
Like I said before, thats a case for Preview being improved, not a case for you or anyone else using Safari for something other than what it is intended for.
That seems to be your lack of foresight getting in the way, not the browser paradigm.
Any object can be a webpage. Imagine if I added "index.jpg" as a possible index file and made that my website. Would that be any less of a webpage than any other? Should I not be able to drag it back in and view it in a web browser? If I can view it in a web browser, drag it OUT of a web browser, why shouldn't I be able to drag it back into a web browser? How is a folder full of .jpgs logistically different from a folder full of .html files?
Comments
*shudder*
Workspaces, yes. Tabbed, no.
I still think this should be possible with simple AppleScripting... if more apps were scriptable...
Originally posted by Kickaha
So basically you want workspaces, but in a bastardized MDI fashion.
*shudder*
Workspaces, yes. Tabbed, no.
No, workspaces aren't cool like tabs, tabs, tabs!
Originally posted by Kickaha
I still think this should be possible with simple AppleScripting... if more apps were scriptable...
As usual, it's the big developers who are the culprits. They have such crap going on people's Macs that flimsy crutches like this seem necessary.
Originally posted by Kickaha
So basically you want workspaces, but in a bastardized MDI fashion.
*shudder*
Workspaces, yes. Tabbed, no.
Explain what you mean. Are we getting nit-picky about terminology again?
I still think this should be possible with simple AppleScripting... if more apps were scriptable...
AppleScripting UI features? Now that definitely is a bastardized use of Applescript.
Basically what Eugene described, without needing a special window container, and allowing you to see two or more of those windows at once.
And AppleScript is *perfect* for this, since hiding/showing windows is one of the basic dictionary verbs.
A workspace, when double-clicked, would open each file in the workspace at one shot, regardless of what file types or apps were involved. That part's easy, it just uses the Finder's open capability in one of any number of ways.
The harder part is switching between workspaces, but AppleScript could be used to iterate over the apps involved, and tell them to hide/show the windows involved in each workspace. Really quite simple.
Now if only the Dock would allow for adding/deleting apps/files in the same way, you'd be able to have workspaces complete with customized Docks. Ah well.
Unfortunately, the biggest problem is that so few apps really handle AppleScripting at all, even the basic functionality such as this. (IIRC, Cocoa apps get this much for free.)
As for tabs in Finder, that is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD !
Have a nice day.
Originally posted by Placebo
Oh dear. Sorry Eugene. Hope the Psychiatric Ward doesn't keep you too long.
As for tabs in Finder, that is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD !
Have a nice day.
Why the $$$$ would it be bad? Don't be a hypocrite. If optional tabs in Safari are good, so are optional tabs in Finder. Nobody is forcing you to use them. Every app should have tabs. It should be a system-wide feature. I should even be able to have tabs within tabs if I elect to use them that way.
Originally posted by LowB-ing
I'm surprised noone has mentioned Fluxbox yet.It does exactly the thing Eugene ridicules, and many linuxusers swear by it. Then again, linux has no exposé.
I'm not ridiculing it. I'm loving it!
Originally posted by Eugene
Why the $$$$ would it be bad? Don't be a hypocrite. If optional tabs in Safari are good, so are optional tabs in Finder. Nobody is forcing you to use them. Every app should have tabs. It should be a system-wide feature. I should even be able to have tabs within tabs if I elect to use them that way.
They confuse the end user. That's why.
Originally posted by Eugene
Why the $$$$ would it be bad? Don't be a hypocrite. If optional tabs in Safari are good, so are optional tabs in Finder. Nobody is forcing you to use them. Every app should have tabs. It should be a system-wide feature. I should even be able to have tabs within tabs if I elect to use them that way.
Optional tabs in Safari are good because safari displays web pages, not documents. You don't need to drag and drop from one web page to another. If you want to open a link in a new window, you right click and open a link in a new window. Dragging and dropping is NOT a good way to open files, it's way way too complex.
Likewise, thumbnails in Preview are good because you are dealing with uneditable images. You don't need to drag and drop.
You certainly positively DO need to drag and drop in the Finder though.
Which is why tabs in the Finder encourages bad user interaction, especially from windows converts. Tabs in Safari, while they might not be the ideal spacial bullshit, you can justify.
Remember, one of the reasons we use Macs is because they are not overcomplicated with useless options. *cough*KDE*cough*GNOME*cough*
Barto
At least with Preview, the thumbnail is provided and they implement a shoddy "New from clipboard" option which prevents you from opening a blank Preview window.
In Safari you can drag images out of pages onto other windows. You can drag links to other windows. You can drag blocks of text into text fields. You can drag clippings and other files into Safari windows. To say Safari doesn't utilize drag & drop behavior is folly.
Originally posted by Placebo
They confuse the end user. That's why.
How?
Barto
Originally posted by Barto
It's true, you do drag stuff out of Safari windows. However there is no good reason to drag stuff INTO Safari windows. Web applications are absolute evil, and if you hate tabs you should hate web applications too. If you want to open something in Safari, you right click and "open with Safari". If you want items to open in the same window or a new window, that's a Safari preference. Tabs only impede dragging stuff into windows.
Barto
That's patently untrue. I drag & drop files into Safari from time to time, and I'd love the ability to drag a folder of images to the window and have each file open as a seperate tab. Preview doesn't work well for this, since image files can be of varying sizes but the window doesn't (and shouldn't) resize properly.
And "web applications are evil"? Care to explain that?
Originally posted by Kesh
Preview doesn't work well for this, since image files can be of varying sizes but the window doesn't (and shouldn't) resize properly.
Like I said before, thats a case for Preview being improved, not a case for you or anyone else using Safari for something other than what it is intended for.
Originally posted by Kesh
And "web applications are evil"? Care to explain that?
Some aren't too bad because of simplicity (like simple admin interfaces - eg SWAT). But the majority of interfaces become terrible when confined to a single, fairly static window. Not to mention slow as all heck.
Barto
Originally posted by Barto
Like I said before, thats a case for Preview being improved, not a case for you or anyone else using Safari for something other than what it is intended for.
That seems to be your lack of foresight getting in the way, not the browser paradigm.
Any object can be a webpage. Imagine if I added "index.jpg" as a possible index file and made that my website. Would that be any less of a webpage than any other? Should I not be able to drag it back in and view it in a web browser? If I can view it in a web browser, drag it OUT of a web browser, why shouldn't I be able to drag it back into a web browser? How is a folder full of .jpgs logistically different from a folder full of .html files?
There is no way in hell a JPEG file could be considered a web page by itself.