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Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2014 10:20:55 +1000
Subject: Re: Python and IDEs [was Re: Python 3 is killing Python]
From: Chris Angelico <rosuav@gmail.com>
Cc: "python-list@python.org" <python-list@python.org>
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On Sat, Aug 2, 2014 at 10:00 AM, Gregory Ewing
<greg.ewing@canterbury.ac.nz> wrote:
> MRAB wrote:
>> in MacOS, even if I had a directory window open, I had to navigate to the
>> directory in the Save dialog.
>
> Yes, that was annoying. It wasn't a problem to begin with,
> because the original Mac was strictly single-tasking --
> you couldn't *have* a directory window and an application
> open at the same time. And all your files were on floppies
> in a flat file system -- folders only existed in the
> Finder's imagination -- so the only real choice to be
> made when saving a file was "which disk do I put it on".

Okay, so it was like DOS 1.0...

> When multitasking, hard disks and hierarchical file
> systems came along, there was an opportunity for a
> rethink, but it never really happened.

... and it didn't get improved when it grew directories like DOS 2.0
did. It's like how the default DOS prompt is actually $N$G when $P$G
is a lot more useful, except that changing the default prompt is
pretty easy and applies globally (not to mention that you might well
want to enhance the prompt beyond just $P$G).

>> And don't mention the menu bar across the top, separated from the
>> window to which it belonged.
>
> That seems to be a matter of taste. There are some
> advantages to the menu-bar-at-top model. It's an easier
> target to hit, because you can just flick the mouse up
> to the top. It only takes up space once, instead of
> once per window. It makes it possible for an app to
> be running without having any windows, and still be
> able to interact with it.

Downside: It separates (graphically and logically) a window from its
menu bar. The "easier target for the mouse" argument is valuable ONLY
when you use the mouse to access the menu bar. If you use the keyboard
(and take advantage of mnemonic letters), it's much more useful to
have the menu bar attached to its window. In the rare case of an app
that runs without any windows, incidentally, how do you tell the
system that you want that app's menu bar instead of (say) Finder,
which comes up when you click on the desktop?

ChrisA