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Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

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Re: Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

#31

Post by schrodinger »

hyperhello wrote: post #17

I don't think Spatial Finder is as useful as it once was. The reason is that these web interfaces block the whole screen, so I generally need to move the browser to the side, beep open a finder window, drag the file in, move the browser back, etc. What I would really like to have back from those days is to drag a folder to the bottom of the screen and have it turned into a little tab, so I can have a "CS602" tab for…

I never thought too much about what you just said — specifically about web interfaces and their single-window nature — but now that you mention it, a lot has changed as a direct result.

I think of an app like Photoshop, and it had one window for each image you had open, and then floating toolbars, another window for layers, etc. You could really organize your workspace and have a sense of "mise en place" in a way that doesn't really exist anymore.

Now every application is essentially a 16:9 rectangle squeezed into a tab. The web's enabled some amazing things, but not at zero cost…

Something's lost but something's gained, in living every day.

Re: Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

#32

Post by Razengan »

likeclockwork wrote: post #20
hyperhello wrote: post #17

I don't think Spatial Finder is as useful as it once was. The reason is that these web interfaces block the whole screen, so I generally need to move the browser to the side, beep open a finder window, drag the file in, move the browser back, etc. What I would really like to have back from those days is to drag a folder to the bottom of the screen and have it turned into a little tab, so I can have a "CS602" tab for…

Move the browser to the side? I can never understand why anyone would want to manually shuffle windows around as a disorganized stack. From my perspective the desktop metaphor UX was obsolete the moment it was conceived of. All anyone has to do is look at the physical desks of a thousand random people and it should be immediately obvious how little value there is in recreating that chaos.

Yeah I also have felt it weird and anachronistic that computer GUIs STARTED with a windows-based system, in an era of small screens, limited colors, limited resolution, and limited user expertise!

Working with such few resources, an iPad-like fullscreen UI would have made more sense and been more efficient.

Companies just wanted to show off I guess.

Re: Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

#33

Post by alsetmusic »

Well, this is sure to come up on next week's (well, later this week) Accidental Tech Podcast. John Siracusa (one of the hosts) used to write those twenty page reviews of each major release of MacOS on ArsTechnica. He and I both miss the spatial Finder. I'll try this out tomorrow for sure. If I wasn't worn out from a busy weekend, I'd try it now. I can't wait to see how this holds up.

OP: whether this delivers or not, it's a concept that concerns me. Thanks for caring about this and doing something about it.

Re: Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

#34

Post by kalleboo »

hyperhello wrote: post #17

I don't think Spatial Finder is as useful as it once was. The reason is that these web interfaces block the whole screen, so I generally need to move the browser to the side, beep open a finder window, drag the file in, move the browser back, etc. What I would really like to have back from those days is to drag a folder to the bottom of the screen and have it turned into a little tab, so I can have a "CS602" tab for…

I have a hot corner configured to reveal desktop, so I just pop my cursor into it, go into the Finder to grab the file, then boop the hot corner and I'm back in the browser, without any additional manual window management

Re: Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

#37

Post by bapak »

dailyanchovy wrote: post #8
bapak wrote: post #6

> seemingly random positions and sizes No they don't? I'm on Sequoia and Finder windows open in exactly the position of my last window. Height does vary on the view style though. This looks maddening, it's the complete opposite of what I'd want. > seemingly random positions and sizes Indeed, so let's open each folder in an actually random position and size, whatever I sized it 3 weeks ago, really.

You can just choose not to use this. Nothing bad about having the choice, so no need to be negative.

> You can just choose not to use this

Sure. I'm just arguing that on paper this is not the solution to the problem described.

Re: Show HN: Re-Implementing the macOS Spatial Finder

#38

Post by alsetmusic »

p_ing wrote: post #4
dailyanchovy wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah yes, that may be an issue. But that is solved by not installing the "window_title_changed" hook, so that the scripts only take effect when new Finder windows are opened. In that case, windows never move around. All the points you mentioned are issues with the default behaviour of Finder (e.g. when opening a new Finder window as is, you cannot predict where it will open and so it may block other elements).

Yes, when opening a new instance of Finder, I expect that the position won't be what I expect. But moving folder to folder it will stay the same. Sadly the Finder doesn't seem to respect previous types of views (List, Icon, etc) but I see you have a solution for the window size changing. Thanks!

If you open a Finder window and customize the view, then immediately close it, it remembers your settings. It's an odd design decision, but it works. It doesn't always carry over to network shares after they've been disconnected and remounted.
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