Re: Naive newbie Q - what happens to the trash?

On Wed, 14 Mar 2007 00:58:23 -0000, Justin C wrote:

On 2007-03-13, Tim Auton <tim.auton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
David Kennedy <davidkennedy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
[Trash]
This is real trash and, like the real world, once the bin men have been
then there's no point in going outside to check for the watch you
accidentally threw out.

The sooner the computer industry stops tying to make computers analogous
to the real world the better. It is not a real trash can and shouldn't
be hamstrung by slavishly attempting to replicate the functionality of
one.

I'm with you on this... at least in this instance. It seems eminently
sensible, to me at least, to have the trash can 'expire' the oldest of
the deleted stuff when more space is required.

As long as it's done with care. Automated systems can cause problems;
consider these two scenarios:

1. Items in trash set to automatically delete after ten days.
You finish your photo montage project just before going on holiday, and
scrap all the working files. Whilst sunning yourself in the, er, sun, you
suddenly realise that you needed a couple of those working files. Tough;
the files will be emptied from the trashcan as soon as you start using
your Mac.

2. Items in the trash set to delete after capacity is above 10% of the
disk.
You decide to add your User folder to the dock to get a quick-access menu
to stuff in there. You miss, and drag it to the trash. Your user folder
is more than 10% of the disk, so...


I'm all for adding stuff like this, but by default leave it predictable
and unambiguous. You put things in the trash and they stay there until
you empty it; if you want different behaviour, set it yourself.

I actually prefer, in a way, that Apple keep things simplistic and let
the third parties add the features. It keeps the Mac simple for most
people, and only those who want those specific features actually get
burdened down with them. This was demonstrated in that Interface Friction
report posted here recently, which pointed out that Apple had one screen
for mouse settings, whereas Microsoft had about six. Different approaches
to the same problem; keep it simple for the 80% who don't need all the
settings and let the others go find workarounds, or cater for every
possible whim by adding settings for everything.

-z-


--
Software Failure. Press left mouse button to continue.
Guru Meditation #00000004.0000C0CA
.