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The Windows NT4/95 Explorer was the best because I could actually configure the exact same details view everywhere and the Explorer would remember and keep my settings. Actually respecting the user's settings is something modern Microsoft doesn't view as important anymore.
Sorry for offtopic, but I'd like to share a tip I can't imagine living without. You can type cmd in explorer address bar and it'll open cmd in that directory (probably works with any other program in your %PATH%). Also you can type `explorer .` in cmd to open explorer in the current directory.
Another tip: Shift-Right-Click a file in Explorer and "Copy as path" will appear in the context menu. Puts the full file path in your clipboard.
I recently learned you can add this feature to the right click context menu via adding a registry entry.
If I’d’a known shift-right click I wouldn’t make bothered.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is something MacOS has over Windows. Dragging a folder from Finder into the safe file dialogue opens that folder in the dialogue. You can also drag a search result from Spotlight in to the save file dialogue. Also works with the open file dialogue.
In Windows, you can just copy the file path from Explorer and paste it into the save file dialog.
MacBook touchpad right under the keyboard makes drag n drop feel like a superior method.
For context, I have a fairly extensive AutoHotKey script and a 22 button Razer Naga configured to automate repetitive tasks on my Windows 10 work PC, and Windows 10 has proven itself to be super stable and robust at work and home, so I’m by no means a bias MacOS fan or whatever, and if I’m honest I really do prefer Windows 10... and my 2013 MBPr died the other day, and there’s not much chance of me buying another MacBook any time soon because they’re over priced and lack ports.
Where was I going with this?
Oh yeah, there’s some things MacOS does that are great UI design....
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is something MacOS has over Windows. Dragging a folder from Finder into the safe file dialogue opens that folder in the dialogue. You can also drag a search result from Spotlight in to the save file dialogue. Also works with the open file dialogue.
In Windows, you can just copy the file path from Explorer and paste it into the save file dialog.
For instance, I believe the 'duality' of Explorer views (one without tree views, one with) was a response to the success of the Mac Finder -- it was intended to present a simple UI for managing files. The "Explore" mode was a power-user interface that needed you to right-click and choose Explore, or press Win+E (or create a permanent shortcut). To be fair, because right-clicking was new in Windows 95, the help materials did emphasize right-clicking. As the article below indicates, the Win95 team did consider designing an entire 'Beginner UI' for beginner users, but eventually dropped the idea.
This article[1] (it has previously been on HN before) has some interesting insights on the design of Windows 95 with respect to Explorer. Bear in mind, one of Win95's design goals was to be usable for both those new to computers as well as power users.
> Beginning users and many intermediates were confused by the two-pane view of File Cabinet. (See Figure 3.) They were unsure of the relationship between the panes and how to navigate between folders. Beginners were often overwhelmed by the visual complexity of the File Cabinet and had more basic problems, such as not understanding how folders could exist inside of other folders. Many users were also confused by the Parent Folder icon. It appeared in every folder and looked like a file, yet was really a navigation control for moving up the hierarchy one level.
[1] https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/238386.238611
Edit:
> [For Windows 8+, referring to the icons at the top of the toolbar] Microsoft remains absolutely addicted to the idea of a toolbar with "commonly used" commands on it. Despite the clear internal order to get rid of all these toolbars, someone insisted that they had to remain, had to, and so they got stuffed into the titlebar.
Given that Explorer took the "Ribbon" idea from Office 2007 (probably because Steven Sinofsky had a hand in both), the icons at the top of the toolbar are much more likely to be Explorer's implementation of Office's Quick Action Toolbar. In fact, looking at Office 365 UI, there seems to be a trend of bundling more functionality into the Title Bar these days.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Another tip: Shift-Right-Click a file in Explorer and "Copy as path" will appear in the context menu. Puts the full file path in your clipboard.
Da fck. I recently learned you can add this feature to the right click context menu via adding a registry entry. If I’d’a known shift-right click I wouldn’t make bothered.
Sorry for offtopic, but I'd like to share a tip I can't imagine living without. You can type cmd in explorer address bar and it'll open cmd in that directory (probably works with any other program in your %PATH%). Also you can type `explorer .` in cmd to open explorer in the current directory.