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“Right click and save as” needs to go away

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31–40 of 194 posts

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#31
post #22

I HATE sites that force downloading! I often have a 50+ MBit/sec connection and want to be able to choose between having a PDF (e.g. a invoice - all I need is the amount and the bank data) render in the browser so I can discard it after using (here: wiring the money) and not having to do: 1) download it 2) open it 3) do what I want to do 4) delete the file (which requires me to open the download folder, locate the fi…

I don't know what OS you are using, but on linux, I save all of those files to /dev/shm. Since this parks it in shared memory, once I restart my computer at some point, they will be gone. The same can be done by using a tmpfs as your default download destination and a script that cleares any file older than x days etc. I basically use two download folders: ~/Dowloads/* and /dev/shm/; the first is being used for Downl…

Alternatively, use /tmp, since then you won't have the file unnecessarily using RAM until the next time you reboot.

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#34

There are already ways to force browsers to download using HTTP headers. The author says this is a "server-side solutions to front-end problem", okay. But anyways, when pages use this already, it OFTEN pisses me off, when I want to look at a PDF in browser, but the web app/page is forcing me to save it to disk and then re-open it in another app. What we _really_ need, that we _don't_ have a way to do right now -- is…

Yeah, isn't "Content-Disposition: attachment;" header exactly for this?

Content-Disposition can be very useful but it does have some potential security implications: http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/content-disposition-hacking/

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#35

There are already ways to force browsers to download using HTTP headers. The author says this is a "server-side solutions to front-end problem", okay. But anyways, when pages use this already, it OFTEN pisses me off, when I want to look at a PDF in browser, but the web app/page is forcing me to save it to disk and then re-open it in another app. What we _really_ need, that we _don't_ have a way to do right now -- is…

Which is funny, because I absolutely loathe opening in the browser, I prefer saving it.

Chrome and FF PDF viewers are better, but with Acrobat it was a bag of hurt.

Also, see: saving is the more generic answer. Save and you can see it, open it and before the Chrome 'save' button you had to re-download it.

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#36

What's with Chrome adding extensions to the filename? Is this behaviour specific to Chrome on Windows or standard across all platforms? The world does not revolve around windows. File extensions are optional, not mandatory, in unix land. If the site says the file is named foobar, its name is foobar not foobar.txt.

The problem is that Windows desktop market share is overwhelming and as a Website author, you have to think in Windows user terms!

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#37
How would a web designer be able to choose my intention prematurely without a crystal ball?

Not to mention download support in browsers got WORSE over the years. All major browsers (but especially Google Chrome with its "never ask, just do it" UI attitude) need a good download manager. I strongly prefer "save as..." over the mess that the Chrome default download behaviour is.

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#38
post #8

For everyone complaining that they don't want to be forced to download--just have two buttons: March Invoice: View - Download This is much clearer for the average user than a single link with hidden right click functionality. Currently clicking on a link you have no idea what you're going to get.

so would the browser be enforcing that? Or the server? Because both options are unacceptable.

I think the best way is for the designer to include both options. Don't leave it up to the browser.

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#39
post #8

For everyone complaining that they don't want to be forced to download--just have two buttons: March Invoice: View - Download This is much clearer for the average user than a single link with hidden right click functionality. Currently clicking on a link you have no idea what you're going to get.

so would the browser be enforcing that? Or the server? Because both options are unacceptable.

The page author would be forcing it?

Re: “Right click and save as” needs to go away

#40

There are already ways to force browsers to download using HTTP headers. The author says this is a "server-side solutions to front-end problem", okay. But anyways, when pages use this already, it OFTEN pisses me off, when I want to look at a PDF in browser, but the web app/page is forcing me to save it to disk and then re-open it in another app. What we _really_ need, that we _don't_ have a way to do right now -- is…

Which is funny, because I absolutely loathe opening in the browser, I prefer saving it. Chrome and FF PDF viewers are better, but with Acrobat it was a bag of hurt. Also, see: saving is the more generic answer. Save and you can see it, open it and before the Chrome 'save' button you had to re-download it.

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