I'd argue that folders are broken on the desktop too.. which is why your see Mac OSX moving towards saved smart folders (searches) based on metadata.. and of course MS followed suit in Vista.
Labels/tags can be used in the same way as folders, but it allows data to exists in more than one category. That way I don't have to remember where I put everything, I can look where I think it should be. When you put a piece of data in a category in a one to one relationship you have to search/hunt around to find that data again after.. especially if it could easily fit under more than one category header. I'd rather have data where I want to look for it then have to remember it's structure every time. For instance, when I bookmark a site in my browser i have to choose a folder.. if the site is about design, the web, and usability, which folder does it go in? If I tag it with all three then I will find it when I'm looking for content based on any of those words, based on the context when I need it again. On 10/10/07, Bianka McGovern <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Although I like gmail a lot, I do miss the folders. I like archiving, > getting rid of emails in the inbox. I don't understand why the folder > model is supposed to be broken. It's not exactly a reflection of the > underlying system. It's a metaphor taken from real life. > Interestingly, in real life we don't usually label the things we want > to archive, we put things into boxes, drawers, folders and label these > containers. Just because foldering is an old metaphor it doesn't mean > it's bad. In fact, it might be a great metaphor since it's been > successful for a long time. I survive by labeling everything and then > archiving it. I also set filters, but they don't always work, > interestingly. Labeling is a good way of categorizing emails but it > shouldn't replace foldering necessarily. > > Also, why does the web have to be different from the desktop? Why not > take working paradigms from the desktop and implement them into the > web? In a few years we won't talk about "desktop" and "web" anymore, > it will all be the same animal. > > B. -- Matt Nish-Lapidus email/gtalk: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ++ LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mattnl Home: http://www.nishlapidus.com ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://gamma.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://gamma.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://gamma.ixda.org/help
